SandBoxBlogs: Grand Junction Daily Sentinel "Abby & Jennifer Recovery Foundation for years has been out of compliance"

There are four.  Only four print newspapers in the State of Colorado that are held as the most trusted coverage. 

The old war horse of the Pueblo Chieftain. The 'small' local papers in the Aspen Daily News and Steamboat Today (formerly Steamboat Pilot) and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel since it has been under the ownership of the Seaton family.

If you wonder 'why' you do not see these publications jumping all over every hot buzz story that comes into view here in Colorado; their patience, integrity and experience probably has something to do with their holding back.

When these newspapers speak big, the folks listen.

Today, the Sentinel enters the western slope's (and some front range simmering) interest in non-profit financial disclosures, responsibility in accounting practices, public trust over accountability and transparency in the handling of  funds and ethics; by taking a look at the 'Abby and Jennifer Recovery Foundation'.

Excellent reporting from Mike Wiggins today.  Over on the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Mike Wiggins:
"Ten years ago this month, hundreds of people gathered in Grand Junction to look for a mother and daughter the vast majority of them had never met.

For 11 days, with the assistance of a Texas-based nonprofit organization, they scoured canyons, sagebrush-covered hills and the Colorado and Gunnison rivers, trying to learn what had become of 34-year-old Jennifer Blagg and her 6-year-old daughter, Abby.

Connie Flukey, a mother of eight, joined the initial wave of volunteers, drawn by the pleas for help from Jennifer’s mother. She quickly formed a spin-off of the Texas group and vowed to search for missing persons in the name of Jennifer and Abby.

But a Daily Sentinel investigation found the Abby & Jennifer Recovery Foundation has been out of compliance with state and federal regulations—and possibly in violation of state law—for years...."
(Read more?  Click title)

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

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "ACRA to decide on U.S. Chamber membership during private meeting"

(See related links to story along with public commentary here)

Andrew Travers:
"The board of directors at the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) will go behind closed doors to make its long-awaited decision on its controversial membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

ACRA is expected to take a final vote on the issue during a board retreat on Monday, April 23. The press and public — including chamber members — will not be permitted to attend the 45-minute discussion on the U.S. Chamber or any other portion of the daylong board retreat at The Gant.

Though 49 percent of ACRA’s budget comes from local tax dollars and public funds, the chamber is a nonprofit membership organization, and not legally considered a public body. So, it is not bound by Colorado’s open meetings laws. Those laws require public boards, like county commissions and city councils, to post notices for meetings and abide by strict rules controlling when and why they can exclude the public and press from meetings........

.......Chamber president Debbie Braun said Wednesday that board members want to speak openly without fear of having their views broadcast publicly through the media, as they make a final decision on this long-simmering and divisive issue.

“We want to have an honest dialogue,” Braun said. “We want to hear from everyone on the board, and we don’t want them to think they might get caught with a pull-out quote in the newspaper.”...." (Read more?  Click title)


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

SandBox Comments: Steamboat Today "Local Marketing District comes under scrutiny in wake of sales tax"

Tom Ross:

"I support this very much,” Scully said. “The public/private collaboration is critical. I’d like to know, where is the money coming from and where is it going, and what is it really translating into? It’s a lot of money. To me, the key is a scorecard. To me, it seems there should be a website.”

Ken Solomon asked that the LMD board consider broadening membership to represent the entire city.

“You’re receiving 50 percent of your (public) revenues from the new tax, and my understanding is there are only 600 eligible voters who live in the LMD out of about 8,000 voters in the city,” Solomon said. “It strikes me as unfair.”

LMD legal counsel Tom Sharp told Solomon that the requirement that members of the board be registered voters who live within the boundaries of the local marketing district is decreed by state statute and that the LMD has no power to change it. He added that when the LMD was created by City Council, it had the option to make itself the board of the LMD or to create the five-member board of LMD voters.

Steamboat businessman Steve Hitchcock told the board he thinks the LMD should pursue additional air service outside the ski season.

“With the new tax coming on and collected by businesses outside the LMD, I’d like to see the LMD take on the task of summer air,” Hitchcock said.

Porter replied that summer air service is on the LMD board’s agenda. Porter added that the revenues from the new tax will first be applied for the 2012-13 ski season.

At the city’s urging, public meeting notices for the LMD board now will be posted outside City Hall, at City Market and at the post office, as well as in a vestibule outside the Chamber’s offices at 125 Anglers Drive...."


(Read more?  Click title. For now, as of this date, comment ability on this post and all marketing/tourism news stories that are currently hot topics will have no public comment ability on SandBox.  Go to the original hubs of origins to express your views, please. Thanks, 'SandBox Nanny')

"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."