Posts tagged legal
CU continues clampdown on 4/20 activities
0March 11, 2013
“We are committed to ending the unwelcome 4/20 gathering on the CU-Boulder campus, and this year’s approach represents the continuance of a multi-year plan to achieve that end,” said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. “What’s important here is the protection of CU’s missions of research, teaching and service. This isn’t about marijuana or drug laws. It’s about not disrupting the important work of a world-class university.”
DiStefano noted that the passage of Amendment 64 by Colorado voters last year does not make marijuana legal on the CU-Boulder campus. Amendment 64 doesn’t legalize pot smoking in public or possession of marijuana by those under 21. Marijuana is still prohibited by campus policy.
DiStefano noted that the passage of Amendment 64 by Colorado voters last year does not make marijuana legal on the CU-Boulder campus. Amendment 64 doesn’t legalize pot smoking in public or possession of marijuana by those under 21. Marijuana is still prohibited by campus policy.
Last year, the university’s closure to non-affiliates on April 20 resulted in the reduction of a 4/20 crowd of about 10,000 to 12,000 people in 2011 to a crowd of several hundred. A Boulder judge upheld the university’s right to take reasonable steps to avoid disruption of the university’s missions of teaching, research and service.
This year on Saturday, April 20, CU-Boulder’s normal academic and cultural activities will continue as scheduled, but the following measures will be in place:
- Students, faculty and staff are all welcome on campus and invited to attend all official university functions and make use of university facilities as they always do.
- Students, faculty and staff will be asked to present their Buff OneCard IDs at campus entrances and other areas.
- Consistent with last year’s protocol, law enforcement officers will politely and professionally engage those wishing to enter the campus to ascertain if they are affiliates or approved visitors. This will involve checking Buff OneCards for students, faculty and staff and credentials for registered visitors.
- Those unaffiliated with CU-Boulder, or who are not approved visitors, will not be permitted on campus. Those who trespass risk citations, which can mean punishment of up to six months in jail and a $750 fine.
- Law enforcement, including the Colorado State Patrol, will conduct additional enforcement on highways surrounding Boulder, looking for drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- Visitors who have official business, meetings or other officially sanctioned activities on the CU-Boulder campus will need to obtain a visitors’ pass by visiting the following link and filling out the form at http://www.colorado.edu/april20/campusaccess. Forms for visitors must be completed and submitted to CU-Boulder by 10 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
Affiliates are encouraged to use alternative methods of transportation to get to and from campus. Bus routes that normally travel through core campus on 18th Street and Colorado Avenue – including the HOP and Buff Bus – will be detoured down Regent Drive. Please see http://www.colorado.edu/pts/content/420-traffic-parking-transit-impacts for additional information. - All campus performances and events are on as scheduled for the evening of April 20 and the campus is expected to be fully open again at 6 p.m.
CU-Boulder officials this year agreed with CU student leaders on several new measures and adaptations in closing the campus:
- Officers will carry and distribute information cards explaining the university’s security actions and protocols for the day and providing a contact point for reporting concerns about the day’s procedures or police conduct.
- The university will not place any fish fertilizer on the Norlin Quad.
- The Student Government will not host a concert this year on 4/20 in an effort to save student funds and in response to student feedback.
Funding for the campus security measures comes from insurance rebates to the campus, not from tuition or student fees. As a reminder, per campus policies and the federal Drug Free Schools and Communities Act with which the university must comply, marijuana is not permitted on the campus.
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Demand for Shelter Soars in Boulder
0January 10, 2013
by Boulder Channel 1
in News
As of January 8, BOHO has provided safe, warm, legal sleeping to almost 5,500 guests on 57 nights of operation, an average of almost 97 guests per night. As of the same date a year ago, BOHO’s Emergency Warming Centers (EWC) had provided shelter from severe and stormy weather to fewer than 5,000 guests on 67 nights of operation, for an average of 75 guests per night.
Although our Fall weather was mild at times this year, we have had an unbroken sequence of severely cold and even stormy nights for over a month. BOHO’s EWC guests, homeless residents of Boulder, would not have had safe, warm and legal sleeping, as the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless has operated at or near capacity so far this season.
As we look ahead, we expect to provide EWCs virtually every night for another nine or ten weeks of harsh Winter weather. We have honed and polished our practices, and built up our reserves, trained our volunteers, and worked with the many congregations who provide facilities and support. We’ll still need your help as this time goes forward, providing a shelter safety net for the safety net to Boulder’s homeless residents.
Your support and donations have provided safe, warm and legal sleeping to BOHO’s EWC guests. There are more guests being served every night this year; the needs of the poor are increasing. Thank you for helping us to provide the fundamental human need of a safe, warm shelter for sleeping.
From BOHO BUZZ
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CU-Boulder to honor vets through Veterans Week events Nov. 9-17
0November 9, 2012
The University of Colorado Boulder will honor the nation’s veterans, including CU-Boulder’s own faculty, staff and student veterans, through Veterans Week, beginning with a Nov. 9 Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. in the University Memorial Center’s Glenn Miller Ballroom.
The free, public ceremony will feature guest speaker Michael Dakduk, executive director of the national organization Student Veterans of America. A reception will follow in the UMC Veterans Lounge.
In the Marine Corps, Dakduk was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and to Afghanistan in 2007, where he earned military decorations for distinguished service in combat. He left active duty in 2008 and completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he organized student veterans on campus as a chapter of Student Veterans of America.
“We take this time to acknowledge and express gratitude for the sacrifices of those still serving and those who have served so gallantly and selflessly in our armed forces,” said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. “This weekend, we can each take a moment to reflect on how much we owe the silent heroes in our midst and reach out and thank a vet for this outstanding service. The University of Colorado Boulder joins the nation on this one day of the year our country has set aside to honor our veterans and acknowledge the legacy of their steadfast defense of our American ideals, principles and liberties.”
Also on Nov. 9, CU-Boulder will host Military Student Day to assist military service members interested in transitioning from military service to life as a college student.
CU-Boulder is home to about 650 student veterans and 250 faculty and staff vets, according to Michael Roberts, program manager of CU-Boulder’s Veteran Services office on campus.
“The Office of Veteran Services here at CU-Boulder continues to build a robust program supporting our veterans transitioning from the military to college and ultimately to the work force,” Roberts said. “We have a group of committed staff and faculty leaders who are eager to support our student veterans.”
Student veterans can visit the Student Veterans Center in the Center for Community building, room S482. The center serves as a one-stop shop to support student veterans.
One of the most sought-after services is help with the GI Bill, Roberts said.
“Most veterans are taking advantage of this great opportunity they earned while serving our nation,” he said. “The Post 9/11 GI Bill covers all in-state tuition and fees as well as providing a monthly living allowance. In Boulder, it is quite substantial — $1,500 per month while they are in school.”
The CU-Boulder Law School also recently opened the Veteran’s Legal Clinic to help unite the Colorado legal community and students at CU as they work together to develop a support system for veterans across the state.
Mark Fogg, president of the Colorado Bar Association and a Colorado Law alumnus, recognized the need for pro bono legal services in the veteran’s community in Colorado, said Andy Hartman, an adjunct professor and director of the experiential learning program at Colorado Law.
“The bar wanted to have veteran’s clinics in different cities throughout Colorado including Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction, and they wanted a program at CU-Boulder and the University of Denver to serve their student veterans and their families,” Hartman said.
Attorneys from the Colorado Bar Association work with student volunteers from Colorado Law to meet with veterans and address some of their legal questions. Neither party is financially compensated for their work, although it affords practicing attorneys and students the opportunity to fulfill their public service pledge to provide legal services that benefit the community.
Kevin Brown, a third-year law student at CU-Boulder and a former attack pilot for the Marines, has a vivid memory of the Veterans Legal Clinic’s first client.
“The very first person that walked into the clinic last November on Veterans Day was a homeless veteran that needed many different kinds of help,” said Brown. “To see a veteran who was homeless and in need and to watch the Colorado Bar Association and the volunteer attorneys come together and work to provide assistance and help to him was inspiring.”
Other campus observances for Veterans Day include:
Nov. 9, at 6 p.m., in Old Main Chapel
The CU-Boulder Veteran Services office will have a public viewing of the documentary “Veterans Day 11.11.11.” The feature-length documentary examines what it means to be a veteran in America through the stories of several men and women vets who served during times of peace and war.
Pat Woodard, the documentary’s co-executive producer and writer; Richard Deki, one of the veterans featured in the documentary; and Suzanne Popovich Chandler, a photographer whose work is featured in the documentary, will be present to interact with the audience during and after the film.
Nov. 14, 6-9 p.m., Old Main Chapel
A public showing of the documentary “The Welcome,” an award-winning film that offers a “fiercely intimate view of life after war: the fear, anger and isolation of post-traumatic stress that affects vets and family members alike.”
Nov. 17, 9 a.m., UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom
The annual veterans pre-game party honors CU’s military families as well as members of the military across the Front Range community. For more information contact the Veteran Services office at 303-492-7322.
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Sheriff’s Office Accepting Expired/Unused Prescription Drugs for Destruction
0August 7, 2012
Public drop-off available in Boulder, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Boulder County, Colo. – Sheriff Joe Pelle is pleased to announce that the Sheriff’s Office can now accept expired or unused prescription drugs from the public for destruction.
The prescription drug drop box has been installed in the vestibule of the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters, 5600 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, and will be available to the public during normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
The Sheriff’s Office has participated in periodic “prescription drug drop-off” programs coordinated in conjunction with Boulder County Public Health and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Unfortunately, these events only occur once or twice a year and typically at two or three sites countywide.
However, in cooperation with the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, Inc. (NADDI) and Endo Pharmaceuticals, the Sheriff’s Office recently obtained a grant-funded secure drug drop box that will allow the public to safely dispose of unwanted or unused prescription drugs at their convenience.
Note: The Sheriff’s Office cannot accept liquids, hypodermic needles or other “sharps”, or any bio-hazardous materials.
The Sheriff’s Office will accumulate the materials and arrange for their safe and legal destruction in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Questions may be directed to Technician Debbie Trever or Technician Rachel Day in the Sheriff’s Office’s Property and Evidence Section at 303-441-3629.
The Sheriff’s Office plans to also continue its participation in the periodic “prescription drug drop-off” programs sponsored by Boulder County Public Health and the DEA.
-BoulderSheriff.org-
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Get free music downloads at BPL
0April 18, 2012
Free music downloads now available from Boulder Public Library via Freegal
For everyone who’s ever heard a song on the radio and wanted to add it their collection, wanted a hit single off an album, or just wanted to explore the work of new musical artists, Boulder Public Library offers a new, free online music download service. Freegal Music, a downloadable music service designed for libraries, is now available through the library’s website at: http://boulderlibrary.freegalmusic.com/.
Freegal is free for all Boulder Public Library (BPL) cardholders who live in Boulder County, and all downloads may be kept permanently. Each library cardholder may download up to three songs per week (156 per year) and keep the songs forever. All that is needed to access this service is a Boulder Public Library card number in good standing.
Freegal Music provides access to the Sony Music Entertainment catalog, which includes hundreds of thousands of songs, more than 100 genres of music, and more than 50 record labels. No special software is needed to use the service, and there are no digital rights management restrictions. Downloading of songs is completely free and legal for library cardholders. Songs are downloaded in a universally compatible MP3 format, so they can be saved to any computer, mobile device or MP3 player, including an iPod. Songs can be downloaded at home or at computer stations in libraries via a USB device, such as a flash drive or MP3 player. One click and you can save the songs to your iTunes or Windows Media Player.
“We are excited to be able to offer this free music download service to Boulder Public Library cardholders,” said Valerie Maginnis, library director. “It gives our patrons access to more of the materials they want, in a convenient, accessible format, while also being highly efficient for the library. We anticipate that this will be a very popular new service.”
More information and answers to frequently asked questions about Freegal are available on the BPL website, www.boulderlibrary.org. Music can also be found in the library’s catalog by searching for “Freegal.” BPL offers other music and film streaming services, such as Alexander Street, which offers 30,000 albums for streaming, at: http://research.boulderlibrary.org/music_film.
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City of Boulder Backs CU in shutting down 420 pot fest : the whole story
0April 18, 2012
The Boulder city council voted 7-2 to back the University of Colorado in it’s move to keep a bunch of pot smoking hippie outsiders off their campus on Friday April 20th 2012. The day, which lives in infamy in Colorado history is the day when Klebold and Harris gun down 13 high school students in Denver. It is also Hitlers birthday.
2012 Boulder City council
The city of Boulder is under fire by the US attorney for allowing ”pot shops” near schools. They have closed ten MMJ drug dealing operations this past month.
The city is also under fire from the DEA for it’s lax attitude toward illegal drug sales. The DEA has promised to target Boulder in the same way it id certain cities in California for massive busts under the Federal controlled drugs acts.
The council was almost reluctant in its 7-2 vote, but had to support the university if for political reasons. The two notoriously don’t get along and the city has tried to extend an olive branch over the past decade. Not supporting the 420 shutdown would have been a huge blunder.
Health professionals see the city council as largely responsible for Boulders burgeoning drug addiction problems when it allowed 100s of pot selling operations to open in the past 10 years.
Boulder also has so called Pain Clinics where class two narcotics can be purchased in the same way marijuana is sold. A phony diagnosis by a corrupt doctor and a prescription. The city too has enormous number of liquor outlets and more coming this year.
Boulder is know world wide as the biggest party school in the USA. Boulder has an extremely high drug addiction rate and alcoholism rate. It has since the feds started doing studies in the 1950′s The University has to be trying to put a stop to that notion.
A lot of drug addicts spoke at council last night in support of more drugs on campus, but their pleas fell on deaf yet sympathetic ears. The council has long been known to be a bunch of pot smoking elder hippies.
But in the end this years 420 pot binge is expected to be a nice party for CU students only on campus with music food and fun. No one else is invited.
University of Colorado closed to unauthorized visitors, non-affiliates on April 20
The University of Colorado Boulder announced today it will be open to students, faculty and staff on April 20, but closed to unauthorized non-affiliates due to the disruption caused by the 4/20 gathering.
“The gathering disrupts teaching and research right in the heart of the campus,” said CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. “The size of the crowd has become unmanageable, and limits our faculty, staff and students from getting to class, entering buildings and doing their basic work. It needs to end.”
Further the event is attended mostly by CU freshman from campus. The outsiders come from all over the state. It has been their premier rally for legalizing marijuana in the USA. Pot lobbyists and activists use the event to promote drug use. With nice weather crowds could exceed 50,000. The university does not want to be know as the hippie pot smoking capital of the universe. With larger crowds expected, rampant illegal drug dealing, the university has finally had enough.
The ACLU has taken up the pot smokers cause, but legal experts say it is a lost cause: The university has a right to shut down in the face of massive criminal activity .
Law enforcement officials say they are prepared for 1000′s of arrests if need be. Over 1000 police are expected. 300 swat officers will be held in reserve and over 5000 National Guard will be held in ready reserve able to deploy in 1 hours notice. One legal official told us the fines are so steep for everything that it won’t be worth it to even attempt to come to Boulder. DUIs cost an estimated $20,000. State patrol will be targeting hippies driving in from Denver.
Boulder County will have out door jail space for 10,000 ready to go. One university official said: We aren’t fooling around.
On Friday, April 20, CU-Boulder’s normal academic activity will continue as scheduled, but the following measures will be in place:
- Students, faculty, staff and all CU-Boulder affiliates will need their Buff OneCard IDs to get on, and around, the campus. Those not affiliated with CU-Boulder will not be permitted on campus and face tickets for trespassing. Those cited for trespassing face punishment of up to six months in jail and a $750 fine. District Attorney Stan Garnett has discussed April 20 enforcement operations with CU Police officials. His office will handle the prosecution of those who receive tickets. “As always, the District Attorney’s Office will work to support the efforts of the CU Police Department,” Garnett said.
- For those visitors who have tickets for CU events on April 20 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or who are participants in academic meetings, symposia, conferences or other officially sanctioned activities, limited access to campus will be provided via a special registration program. Visitors will check in at the CU-Boulder East Campus Administrative and Research Center at 3100 Marine St. Please register for this service by going online to http://www.colorado.edu/april20 beginning Monday, April 16 at 8 a.m. or call the CU information line at 303-492-4636. After 6 p.m., no special access to the campus is required, though visitors should be advised that traffic getting into and out of the campus is likely to be heavy.
- Police will be checking for Buff OneCard IDs, and have checkpoints set up at all major campus entrances.
- Norlin Quad lawn areas will be closed to all people. Anyone, regardless of campus affiliation, who enters these areas may face a ticket for trespassing. Closure signage will be clearly displayed in this area. All areas of the campus – including other fields – will be closed to non-affiliates.
- Visitors will not be allowed to park on campus. Attendants will check those traveling to campus for BuffOne IDs and parking permits.
- CU Police issued tickets for marijuana possession last year. Officers will do the same this year. However, this year people will see a larger presence of officers.
- Those who smoke marijuana can face a ticket, which can result in a $100 fine, revocation of a person’s medical marijuana registry card upon conviction, and sanctions against students who receive tickets by CU’s Office of Student Conduct.
- A large presence of police officers from CU-Boulder and regional agencies will be present. The Colorado State Patrol will conduct enhanced patrols on U.S. 36, Colo. 93, the Diagonal Highway and other highways throughout the day, looking for drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- The Colorado Department of Revenue’s Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division will have a team of officers deployed on campus and throughout Boulder to monitor medical marijuana centers and ensure compliance with licensing regulations.
- CU organizations and academic units have been advised to move non-essential meetings and gatherings that require visitors, partners and stakeholders to more convenient times later in the spring semester.
- Regent Drive will be closed to through traffic from approximately 1:30 to 6 p.m. Buses will be allowed to use Regent Drive, but drivers should plan alternate routes.
- The Buff Bus and RTD Stampede, 209, and J routes will be impacted between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Please seehttp://www.colorado.edu/pts/news/index.html for details on how these routes will be altered and/or delayed.
The university announced on April 3 that a concert with the performer Wyclef Jean, sponsored by the CU Student Government in partnership with CU-Boulder’s Program Council, will be hosted at the Coors Events Center. Doors open at 2 p.m. and all CU students with BuffOne cards are invited to attend. The show is expected to end at 7 p.m. No non-CU students will be admitted.
The city of Boulder shut down the Halloween Mall Crawl in 1990 after crowds of over 50,000 became wild, a media circus and put huge financial strains on the city. It is hoped with this new shut down that CU students who want to celebrate 420 will do it quietly and not turn it into a national sensation embarrassing the entire University of Colorado. Parents who see this will be less likely to send their kids to CU and this event sends the wrong message. Which is if you are a doper CU is the place to come.
Drug addiction has been a problem on the CU campus since the late 1960s. Shutting down 420 will help to solve this health issue too.
by BC1 staff
CU News services contributed to this story
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Fracking headed to Boulder County
0February 2, 2012
Boulder County statement on oil and gas drilling from Commissioners Cindy Domenico, Will Toor and Deb Gardner:
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County is concerned about the potential for significantly expanded oil and gas drilling within the county, and supports appropriate, tighter restrictions on drilling and increased local control to mitigate the impacts of these activities.
However, Boulder County and other local governments in Colorado do not have complete authority to regulate drilling. In order to ensure both our Comprehensive Plan and Land Use regulations are as thorough and up-to-date as possible, today we approved a temporary moratorium on the processing of the required development plans for local oil and gas permits under the county Land Use Code (Resolution 2012-16). This will give us time to make sure that, within the limits of our legal authority, we are able to mitigate local impacts from these activities and to maximize protection for the people and environment of Boulder County.
Boulder County does not voluntarily allow oil and gas drilling on its open space properties. Like many private landowners, we often do not own the rights to a given property’s oil and gas deposits. In other cases, the mineral rights were leased prior to acquisition of the land by the county. In those instances, the county does not have the ability to prohibit drilling, even though it is the surface landowner. As the surface owner, we do negotiate surface use agreements prior to drilling, and in doing so, we attempt to minimize those impacts to the maximum extent possible.
Through our Land Use Code, we do have some local authority over oil and gas drilling on private and public land; however, substantial authority for regulation of oil and gas operations lies with the state and federal governments, so there are limits on what we can restrict. For instance, it is unlikely that Boulder County could simply prohibit hydraulic fracturing on either public or private land in the county.
Boulder County has and is actively supporting efforts to strengthen state regulation, and to expand local authority in the area of oil and gas drilling. We supported legislation signed by former Gov. Bill Ritter to strengthen oil and gas rules and to reform the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. We have also advocated for a stronger disclosure requirements of fracking fluids, although the COGCC ultimately approved requirements that did not include our requests for a process that would allow any leaks to be traced, nor for pre- and post-drilling water monitoring. Finally, we are supportive of legislation that Rep. Matt Jones of Louisville is sponsoring in the 2012 General Assembly to expand local authority over drilling.
We also authorized staff to set a public hearing for Thursday, March 1 to take public testimony on the local impacts associated with oil and gas development, and on the appropriateness of continuing or amending the temporary moratorium on the processing of land use applications for oil and gas development which we approved today. This meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room on the third floor of the Boulder County Courthouse at 1325 Pearl St. in Boulder. Staff from several county departments will be making presentations regarding our current regulations and the development we have seen on our open space properties.
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Boulder gets heavy hitter law firm for first swing at Xcel
0January 23, 2012
Law firm chosen to aid city in potential condemnation proceedings with Xcel Energy
The City of Boulder has selected the law firm of Duncan, Ostrander & Dingess, PC to help the city as it begins potential condemnation proceedings for the electric utility system within city limits that is currently owned by Xcel Energy. The firm will advise the city in all matters related to the acquisition of electrical distribution facilities and will work to determine the fair value of those facilities.
The city has retained this counsel to provide expert assistance as it moves towards potential municipalization of the electrical distribution system in Boulder, which stems from the passage of ballot items 2B and 2C in November. The city has said it intends to hire outside legal counsel, as well as engineering consultants, to perform some of the work necessary to determine the final costs associated with acquiring Xcel’s system and starting a city-owned electrical utility. City Council will not make a decision about whether to issue bonds to pursue municipalization until those costs are known.
If the city decides to proceed with asset acquisition, and a price cannot be negotiated with Xcel Energy, Duncan, Ostrander & Dingess, PC will file all legal actions that may be necessary to work through the condemnation process. The firm will work closely with city staff and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) counsel, engineers and appraisers as the city creates a separation plan and conducts negotiations.
Duncan, Ostrander & Dingess, PC was chosen from a field of 10 original submissions that was narrowed down to three finalists after a review of all credentials. In evaluating submitted proposals, the city looked at whether the firm had prior experience representing governments in condemnation proceedings, and the nature and extent of its practice in Colorado.
Duncan, Ostrander & Dingess, PC has more than 30 years (as individuals and then as a firm) of service helping governments, urban renewal authorities and utility companies to acquire property for public projects in a timely manner and at fair prices, and has previously represented the City of Boulder in condemnation proceedings. In 2011, U.S. News & World Report designated the law firm as “Best Lawyers Tier One – Eminent Domain and Condemnation, and Litigation – Eminent Domain and Condemnation.”
The firm and its individual members have served as lead counsel for a number of high-profile public projects that required acquisition of multiple parcels in numerous jurisdictions under time restraints imposed by bond financing or other public financing. These include E-470, T-REX, Prairie Waters, FasTracks, the White Cliffs Pipeline and the Rocky Mountain Express Pipeline.
For more information on Duncan, Ostrander & Dingess, PC, visit www.dodpc.com. Visit www.BoulderEnergyFuture.com for more information on the city’s work related to potential municipalization.
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Boulder council moves ahead on municipalization questions; final vote scheduled for Aug. 16
0August 3, 2011
by Ron Baird, news editor
in News
City Council took a significant vote last night on the question of how residents and businesses will get their electricity in the future. Council refined, and then unanimously approved, ballot language that will ask voters on Nov. 1 to give the city authority to create a local electric utility.
One final vote on this issue is scheduled for Aug. 16, but council has indicated this can go on the consent agenda, so no significant changes are anticipated.
The approved ballot language includes several provisions that place limitations on the authority to issue bonds and chart out clear citizen involvement and representation on an advisory board to guide future decisions. These include:
A provision that rates cannot exceed those offered by the current provider, Xcel Energy, on the date that the city purchases the system from Xcel;
Guiding principles for the municipal utility, once established, that make rate parity and the city’s commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions key factors in future ratemaking and operations decisions;
A commitment to a nine-member advisory board, appointed by City Council, with staggered five-year terms; the board can include up to four non-residents (to allow for involvement of business owners and employees of businesses that pay electric bills within city limits), and council will seek broad, but not rigidly defined, representation of customer classes; and lastly,
A guarantee that the city will cover taxes that would have been paid to the Boulder Valley School District as well as a mechanism to allow for the payment of similar taxes to other governmental entities.
Each of these issues is covered in the ballot language and accompanying ordinance for the first of two measures voters will be asked to consider.
The second, related question will ask voters to approve an increase in the Utility Occupation Tax that Xcel currently collects from customers. This increase is necessary to fund legal and engineering costs the city will incur while working to determine a final price to purchase Xcel’s system. The tax, which would raise up to $1.9 million a year, would last either until Dec. 13, 2017, or until the city makes a decision about whether or not to proceed with buying the system, whichever occurs first. The idea of the tax is to provide the funding for the period before the city could actually launch a utility without having to move forward on issuing bonds. This period is expected to last three to six years.
“This is an exciting time for Boulder, and it was very satisfying to see council come to some important conclusions last night,” said Mayor Susan Osborne. “The language that we expect to go before voters includes carefully thought out opportunities and limitations that address both the city’s economic and environmental objectives. Although there are still some differences of opinion on council, we are unanimous that it is time to ask voters to play their part in charting out our future.”
More details, including specific ballot language and staff memos to council, are available at http://www.boulderenergyfuture.com. A complete broadcast of the council meeting is available for viewing under http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/channel8 under the Council Archives menu item.
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Survey shows Boulder voters support creation of a city-owned electric utility by a wide margin
0August 1, 2011
by Ron Baird, news editor
in News
Seventy-one percent of City of Boulder voters indicated that they either strongly support or support municipalization, according to the results of a statistically valid telephone survey conducted last month. The results were made public by the city today in advance of an important council meeting tomorrow night.
Other key findings include:
Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said the city would be better at offering renewable sources of energy and reducing carbon emissions than Xcel Energy.
A smaller, but majority, percentage (57 percent) thought the city could do a better job at finding innovative solutions to energy problems than Xcel Energy.
Xcel Energy, on the other hand, scored higher (67 percent) in providing reliable energy and (52 percent) in keeping monthly energy bills stable.
Reliability, service, control, energy sources and cost all received high marks as community priorities. Three of these were weighted against each other – low cost, increased renewable sources and having a say in utility decisions. Increasing renewable sources of energy were considered the prevailing priority among these by a majority of residents.
Sixty-five percent of those surveyed indicated they support the issuance of bonds to purchase Xcel’s system. Seventy-seven percent said they would either strongly support or somewhat support the extension/expansion of either the Climate Action Plan or Utility Occupation Tax to cover interim legal and engineering expenses necessary to determine final acquisition and start-up costs.
Ninety-one percent of those surveyed said they would support an increase of between 5 percent to “as much as it takes” in their monthly electric bills to reduce carbon emissions and/or increase renewable sources of energy.
Voters were even more likely to support the creation of a city-owned electric utility if there was a possibility of spending limits, a re-evaluation of final costs before a decision is made about whether to issue bonds and rates within 10 percent of those offered by Xcel Energy. Education about the existence of the 29 other locally-owned utilities in Colorado also made a positive difference.
“The decision our community makes regarding our energy future will be a historic one. These results show that the City of Boulder has listened carefully to our community as we have set our objectives and studied our energy supply options,” City Manager Jane S. Brautigam said. “While we are on the track that many voters support, we also know that taking a measured and prudent approach to this analysis is crucial. We pledge to continue working responsibly and objectively to understand the potential impacts and benefits to all segments of our community.”
The survey, conducted by National Research Center Inc. in Boulder, reached 1,265 registered voters and resulted in 400 completed responses. The response rate of 32 percent was one of the biggest the survey firm has seen in recent years. The results have a margin of error of +/-4.5 percent. The survey occurred between July 6 and July 18.
Tomorrow night’s council meeting will begin at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 2, in Council Chambers, 1777 Broadway. Elected officials are expected to hear a brief presentation about the survey findings and ask questions before discussing and then voting on ballot language related to how Boulder gets it energy in the future. There will be an opportunity for public input. The decisions council makes at this meeting are expected to form the basis for a third – and final – reading of ballot language on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 1.
The complete survey report is available at http://www.boulderenergyfuture.com.
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CU-BOULDER MOURNS LOSS OF DAVID GETCHES, FORMER CU LAW DEAN
0July 5, 2011
Longtime University of Colorado Law School Dean David Getches, who had stepped down on June 30 in order to return to the school’s faculty, died today. He was 68.
Getches joined the faculty of Colorado Law in 1979 as a nationally renowned expert in natural resources and Indian law issues. He wrote several books on water law, natural resources law and Indian rights issues and his work has appeared in numerous publications.
“On behalf of the entire University of Colorado community, I wish to express my deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of David Getches,” said Chancellor Phil DiStefano. “David provided exceptional leadership as dean of the Law School for close to a decade and had an outstanding career as a scholar and teacher. He will be greatly missed as a friend, colleague and member of the CU community, as well as by members of the legal profession throughout the United States.”
Getches served as dean of Colorado Law from 2003 to 2011. Under his leadership the university financed and constructed the $46 million Wolf Law Building and expanded the academic offerings at the law school, which include an endowed Experiential Learning Program, three Master of Laws degrees, three legal clinics, three certificates and eight dual-degrees.
“David Getches came along at exactly the right time for the American West, which has undergone such sweeping changes over the past half century,” said Charles Wilkinson, Moses Lasky Professor of Law and longtime friend. “As a wise advocate and leading public intellectual, David brought vision, common sense and passion to pressing issues of water, land and Indian rights. Now Indian tribes, universities, government offices, conservationists and the rivers themselves will grieve aloud. We will not see his kind again.”
Phil Weiser, who took over as dean of Colorado Law on July 1, said, “David leaves a remarkable legacy of integrity and commitment to excellence. All of us in the Colorado Law community will miss him greatly and I will miss him dearly as a mentor and a friend. His memory and spirit will remain a blessing to us all.”
From 1983 to 1987, Getches was executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources under Gov. Richard D. Lamm. Getches earned his undergraduate degree from Occidental College in California and his law degree from the University of Southern California School of Law. He began his legal career in 1967 with the law firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps in San Diego. In 1968, he was co-directing attorney for California Indian Legal Services and in 1970, he moved to Colorado to become the founding executive director for the Boulder-based Native American Rights Fund, a national, nonprofit Indian-interest law firm.
A memorial service for Getches is being planned and will be announced at a later date.
Contributions may be sent to the David H. Getches Scholarship Fund. Additional information is available at http://www.cufund.org/GetchesScholarship.
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WHITE HOUSE ADVISER ON TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION PHIL WEISER NAMED CU LAW DEAN
0May 31, 2011
The University of Colorado Boulder today announced the appointment of Philip J.Weiser, senior adviser for technology and innovation to the National Economic Council at the White House, as dean of the University of Colorado Law School. CU-Boulder Provost Russell L. Moore said Weiser will begin his duties as dean on July 1, 2011.
“I am delighted today to name as the next dean of CU’s esteemed law school a legal scholar, a public servant and a great thinker and innovator: Phil Weiser,” said CU-Boulder Provost Russell L. Moore. “Phil has amassed a critical body of legal scholarship and has distinguished himself as a researcher, a teacher, and aleader. His work in technology law has made him a seminal figure in that discipline, his leadership in building the Silicon Flatirons Center represents a very significant accomplishment, and I look forward to the energy, imagination and vision he will bring in leading Colorado Law.”
Weiser joined the CU-Boulder faculty as a professor of law and telecommunications in 1999. Prior to joining the White House, Weiser served as the deputy assistant attorney general at the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. Weiser took that post in July 2009, taking a leave of absence from the University of Colorado Law School where he served as a professor of law, associate dean for research, and the executive director and founder of the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship.
“I am honored by this appointment,” said Weiser. “Over the years I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with and learn from the Colorado Law family — its faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters. I am both humbled and excited by the opportunity to lead this community in the years ahead.”
Before joining the CU-Boulder law faculty, Weiser served as senior counsel to the assistant attorney general at the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division from 1996 to 1998, law clerk to Justices Byron R. White and Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the U.S. Supreme Court from September 1995 to August 1996, and law clerk to Judge David Ebel at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver from September 1994 toAugust 1995. He received his law degree from New York University School of Law and his bachelor’s from Swarthmore College.
Weiser replaces David Getches, who is returning to teaching after eight years as head of the law school. Under Dean Getches’ leadership, financing and construction of the $46 million Wolf Law Building was completed and the academic offerings at the law school have been greatly expanded. New programs include an endowed Experiential Learning Program, three Master of Laws degrees, three legal clinics, three certificates and eight dual-degrees.
“I want to thank David Getches for his strong leadership over the last eight years,” said Moore. “Today, CU’s law school is academically sound, a national leader in a variety of legal disciplines, and positioned as one of the nation’s great law schools. It is a great resource for the people of Colorado, and David is one of the key reasons why.”
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Trinda Weymouth : new CEO of Sky Trail Recording in Boulder Colorado
0March 3, 2011
The Magic and Beauty
Sky Trail Recording is a 20 year old high quality audio production studio. It is set in the beautiful foothills of Boulder Colorado. In 2010 long time music promoter Trinda Weymouth and producer Chris Wright redesigned and remodeled the entire studio. Now we bring you a superior quality for recording artists. the magic and vibe occur in properly constructed rooms. The sonic results are limitless.
Trinda Weymouth CEO of Sky Trail Recording: Trinda brings a long history of music promotion and business ac cumin to the company. A long time Boulder resident with interests in several business’s she is an active daily participant in the recording process. She is responsible for the restructuring of the company financial plan, fees and revenue stream. At the same time Trinda set in motion new legal perimeters, a new corporation and name change. In 2010 she worked closely with Engineer Chris Wright to rebuild her new purchase from the ground up. The studio is now state of the art. In early 2011 she set studio rental rates at a rate that makes Sky Trail Recording affordable. As a result it has been booked everyday. Ms Weymouth then set upon an image make over of her company by implementing an all new interactive website, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Four Square and Youtube.She hired a team of web designers and social media experts to launch her new company. She then set upon a vigorous press, media and social media campaign. She set up live video streaming for acts of note. She also put in place professional music videos to be done for visiting artists. Weymouths goal is to have Sky Trail Recording be the most affordable and comprehensive recording company in the Colorado music scene. She has even set about to make her recording company a destination spot for artists in LA and New York who wish to get out into the mountains for a breath. seeVisit US She also write ( along with Chris Wright) a new Sky Trail Recording blog called The Fresh. See allof her accomplishments by spending an hour on this site.
TOMORROW: Chris Wright Producer and Engineer Chris Wright.
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Birthers Show Kenyan birth certificate for Obama: Is it real or a Fraud??
0February 24, 2011
by Boulder Channel 1
in News
Boulder Feb 24 2011 BELOW:This material sent to Boulder Channel 1 news as Birthers
bid to show their point of view. Birthers also claim suppression by American news media. Below is the Birther communique from their outlaw head quarters in Longmont Colorado. Boulder channel 1 news does not side with these rebels , but we believe in the First Amendment to the Constutution of the United States of America and that their point of view should be published:
“”They have spent millions on trying
to keep this from the American people. Should be
interesting
to see how they try
and lie their way out of this one.
Obama’s authentic birth certificate from Coast Memorial Hospital,
in Mombasa, KENYA. Now the task is to get the courts to authenticate
it and then ask Mr Obama to leave the white house.
Here it is, folks! The document we have been waiting for! Now
if only SOMEONE in Congress or the Supreme Court will act on this!
Spread this around…..if these documents are as authentic as they
certainly seem to be, Obama is NOT qualified to be our President and
he sits in the White House illegalThis is what Obama has spent almost $1M (so far) to hide. This is a ‘certified copy’ – please notice it was signed on February 17th, 1964, and it was provided based on the REAL Birth Certificate, below.
Here’s a close-up of the top of the document where you can plainly read his name and his parent’s names, etc.
A British history buff was asked if he could find out who the colonial registrar was for Mombasa in 1961.
After only a few minutes of research, he called back and said “Sir Edward F. Lavender”. Note the same name near the bottom of the photo above.
Source(s): “ Kenya Dominion Record 4667 Australian library.”
official signature of the Deputy Registrar, E. F. Lavender, on the 5th of August, a day later.
The above document is a “Certified Copy of Registration of Birth”, but below is a copy of the actual Certificate of Birth…
the real-deal legal kind of certificate, with ink signatures, and infant foot print.
The Mombasa Registrar of Births has testified that Obama’s birth certificate from Coast Province General Hospital in
Mombasa is genuine. This copy was obtained by Lucas Smith through the help of a Kenyan Colonel who recently got it
directly from the Coast General Hospital in Mombasa , Kenya. Here it is…
Note the footprint!!
The local Muslim Imam in Mombasa named Barack with his Muslim middle name Hussein so his official name on this certificate is Barack Hussein Obama II.
The grandmother of Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. reveals the story of his birth in Mombasa , Kenya , a seaport, after his mother suffered labor pains while swimming at ocean beach in Mombasa.
“On August 4, 1961 Obama’s mother, father and grandmother were attending a Muslim festival in Mombasa, Kenya.
Mother had been refused entry to airplanes due to her nine month pregnancy. It was a hot August day at the festival so the Obama’s went to the beach to cool off. While swimming in the ocean his mother experienced labor pains so was rushed to the Coast Provincial
General Hospital, Mombasa, Kenya where Obama was born a few hours later at 7:21 pm on August 4, 1961(what a sad day for the USA!). Four days later his mother flew to Hawaii and registered his birth in Honolulu as a certificate of live birth which omitted the place and hospital of birth.”
Letter from Kitau in Mombasa , Kenya.
“I happen to be Kenyan. I was born 1 month before Obama at Mombasa medical center. I am a teacher here at the MM Shaw Primary School in Kenya . I compared my birth certificate to the one that has been put out by Taitz and mine is exactly the same. I even have the same registrar and format. The type is identical. I am by nature a skeptical person. I teach science here and challenge most things that cannot be proven. So I went to an official registrar today and pulled up the picture on the web. They magnified it and determined it to be authentic. There is even a plaque with Registrar Lavenders name on it as he was a Brit and was in charge of the Registrar office from 1959 until January of 1964. The reason the date on the certificate says republic of Kenya is that we were a republic when the “copy” of the original was ordered. I stress the word “copy”. My copy also has republic of Kenya . So what you say is true about Kenya not being a republic at the time of Obama’s
birth, however it was a republic when the copy was ordered.
The birth certificate is genuine. I assure you it will be authenticated by a forensic auditor. We are very proud Obama was born here. We have a shrine for him and there are many people who remember his birth here as he had a white mother. They are being interviewed now by one of your media outlets.
Fortunately they even have pictures of his parents with him immediately after his birth at the Mombasa hospital with the hospital in the back ground.
It will be a proud day for us when it is proven that he was born here and a Kenyan became the most powerful man in the world.
I encourage anyone to come here and visit. I will be happy to take you and show you the pictures at the hospital myself as well as
my document and many others that are identical to what Taitz posted. God Bless. Kitau”
So, how much more proof do we need?
WELL, HERE IT IS….
This registration document, made available on Jan. 24, 2007, by the Fransiskus Assisi
school inJakarta, Indonesia , shows the registration of Barack Obama under the name
Barry Soetoro made by his step-father, Lolo Soetoro.
Name: Barry Soetoro
Religion: Islam
Nationality: Indonesian
How did this little INDONESIAN Muslim child – Barry Soetoro, (A.K.A. Barack Obama)
get around the issue of nationality to become President of the United States of America ?
PART 2:
In a move certain to fuel the debate over Obama’s qualifications for the presidency, the
group “Americans for Freedom of Information” has released copies of President Obama’s
college transcripts from Occidental College …..
The transcript indicates that Obama, under the name Barry Soetoro, received financial aid as a
foreign student from Indonesia while an undergraduate at the school. The transcript was released
by Occidental College in compliance with a court order in a suit brought by the group in the
Superior Court of California . The transcript shows that Obama (Soetoro) applied for financial
aid and was awarded a fellowship for foreign students from the Fulbright Foundation Scholarship program.
To qualify for this scholarship, a student must claim foreign citizenship.
This document provides the smoking gun that many of Obama’s detractors have been seeking -
that he is NOT a natural-born citizen of the United States – necessary to be President of these
United States. Along with the evidence that he was first born in Kenya , here we see that there is
no record of him ever applying for US citizenship..
Gary Kreep of the United States Justice Foundation has released the results of their investigation
of Obama’s campaign spending. This study estimates that Obama has spent upwards of $950,000
in campaign funds in the past year with eleven law firms in 12 states for legal resources to block
disclosure of any of his personal records.
Mr. Kreep indicated that the investigation is still on-going but that the final report will be provided
to the U.S. attorney general, Eric Holder. Mr. Holder has refused comment on this matter.
LET OTHER FOLKS KNOW THIS NEWS – THE MEDIA WON’T!
the above has been sent to Boulder Channel 1 news as their bid to show their point of view.They also claim suppression by American news media.
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Boulder Public Library offers workshop series, “Our Courts”
0January 4, 2011
The Boulder Public Library, in cooperation with the Colorado Judicial Institute and the Colorado Bar Association, presents “Our Courts,” a free series of workshops to further public knowledge and understanding of the state and federal courts in Colorado. Presenters will address the role of fair and impartial courts in applying and preserving the rule of law. Founded in 2007, this series takes no position on any court cases, legislation, ballot issue or proposed change to the court system.
All sessions are held on Wednesdays, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Canyon Theater at the Main Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave.
Session Topics
Our State Courts – Jan. 12
Our United States Courts – April 13
See You In Court: The Life of a Civil Lawsuit – July 13
Law & Order: The Life of a Criminal Case – Oct. 12
An overview presentation in Spanish will be offered on Wednesday, Jan. 19, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Canyon Theater at the Main Boulder Public Library: Las Cortes Estatales de Colorado y Las Cortes Federales/Our State Courts and Our United State Courts.
For more information, please contact Ghada Elturk, 303-441-4941 or Selene Neuberg, pleintern@cobar.org.
