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May 31, 2007
Gov. Signs Mental Health Parity Bill
May 31, 2007 1:02 PM
Governor Ritter has signed a new law that expands health care coverage for people with mental illnesses such as depression and post traumatic stress disorder. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 1:02 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Business/Labor , Capitol Coverage , Colorado , Drug Use , Health , Politics , Poverty
Poster Artist Jermaine Rogers Show Opens June 1
May 31, 2007 7:00 AM
This world-famous poster and toy designer recently moved to Manitou Springs, and will be showing work in Smokebrush June 1 - 23. The First Friday Art Walk Opening Reception, featuring food by Blue Star and music by KRCC DJ Vicky, will take place Friday, June 1, from 5-8pm.
KRCC's Kate Dawson spoke to the artist.
[LISTEN]
More information on Jermaine Rogers' show can be found [HERE]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 7:00 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture , Business , Colorado Springs , Entertainment , Manitou Springs
May 30, 2007
TB Patient Coming to Denver
May 30, 2007 6:43 PM
The man with a highly drug-resistant form of tuberculosis who American health authorities put under quarantine after he took two transatlantic flights is coming to Denver for treatment. Bente Birkeland has more.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 6:43 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado , Denver , Drug Use , Health
Springs Culture Cast, Edition 15 (Part 1)
May 30, 2007 6:12 PM
In Part 1 this week, Springs Culture Cast producer Craig Richardson visits the first ever Rubbish Midnight Cabaret, featuring the poetry and music of Chris Bullock. [SpringsCultureCast.com] for more info.
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 6:12 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture
May 29, 2007
"Over the River," the Dialog Continues in Salida
May 29, 2007 5:44 PM
Photo: Wikipedia Controversial artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude spoke in Salida this weekend. The duo are propsing a large scale art installation in the Arkansas River Canyon east of Salida. It would involve hanging large panels of fabric over the river for seven miles. They hope to put the installation up in 2011. There's already been plenty of local criticism of their plans. KRCC's Kate Dawson reports on their latest visit to the area.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:44 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture , Business , Colorado , Environment , Indoor/Outdoor Recreation , Regional
New Life: Attendance, Giving Remain Down
May 29, 2007 3:48 PM
Screen shot from
"The Root of All Evil?" Part 1. It's been 7 months since Pastor Ted Haggard was removed as the leader of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. This after he admitted to receiving massages and buying methamphetamine from a gay male prostitute in Denver over a period of years.
Prior to Haggard's departure, New Life claimed a congregation of 14,000 members. A new email from the church to its members now says that attendance remains down 20 to 25 percent, or by 2,800 to 3,500 members. Giving, the church says, remains 8 to 10 percent below pre-scandal levels.
New Life has yet to replace Haggard, but church leaders say they now have four finalists for the job, including Ross Parsely, who is currently a pastor at the church. The candidates will be interviewed in June.
Click on "Read More" to read the latest message from New Life Leadership to its members.
Read More -->"Even with the challenges we've faced, attendance and giving have remained steady. Our attendance dropped 20 to 25 percent soon after November, which is where we've continued to stay. Offerings have remained consistent at 8 to 10 percent below this time last year. We are strong and grateful! I appreciate how so many of you have shown the courage to be consistent in the midst of crisis.
Pastor Lance asked me to pass on the very latest update from the Pastoral Selection Committee. In the last week, the PSC nailed down interviews with four potential candidates in June--I am one of those. The process is really moving ahead in earnest, and our prayers and patience have never been more necessary.
God has challenged us to serve our city as we seek His will for the future. I believe we will pass the test and demonstrate our maturity. This is God's plan, His heart, His purpose for us--let's do it together!
Pastor Ross Parsley
New Life Church"
Posted by Eric Whitney at 3:48 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Drug Use , Gay & Lesbian , Religion
Falcon, Inc.
May 29, 2007 1:00 PM
Tonight, residents of Falcon vote on whether to incorporate as a town. Proponents of turning the fast-growing community, just east of Colorado Springs, into its own city say it will help current and future residents control their own destiny. They also say incorporation will protect Falcon from potential annexation by Colorado Springs.
Officials from the Springs say there are no plans to annex Falcon, but as its retail center grows, it could be an attractive source of sales tax revenue. Incorporation proponents are suggesting implementing a 1.6% sales tax on non-food items to help fund the new town. But, opponents say that won't be enough to fund city responsibilities and say incorporation backers haven't provided enough details on how exactly the city would function.
The polls for Falcon incorporation are open till 7pm.
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 1:00 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado
May 28, 2007
KRCC's Jeff Bieri Interviews Robert Belfour
May 28, 2007 5:08 PM
This Saturday, June 2nd, KRCC and Independent Records and Video present "Blues Under The Bridge," featuring local artist John Alex Mason and The Jake Loggins Band, and headliners The Soul of John Black and hill country bluesman Robert Belfour.
KRCC's Jeff Bieri recently caught up with Belfour at his home in Tennessee, where he was watering his flower garden.
[LISTEN]
More information on Blues Under the Bridge can be found [HERE]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:08 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture , Colorado Springs , Entertainment , Interview , KRCC Programs
May 27, 2007
Springs Culture Cast, Edition 14 (Part 2)
May 27, 2007 7:32 PM
Springs Culture Cast welcomes the work of cultural reporter Lance von Ende. In Part 2 this week, Lance travels to Beulah, Colorado and interviews Jim Bishop, the visionary builder of Bishop Castle. Please visit SpringsCultureCast.com for more information!
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 7:32 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture
May 25, 2007
Memorial Day Kicks-off Summer Tourist Season
May 25, 2007 4:16 PM
This weekend is, of course, Memorial Day. Area military bases and veterans groups are marking the holiday with remembrances of America's war dead. But Memorial Day is also the traditional kickoff of summer tourist season. Tourism is a $320 million a year industry in Southern Colorado, and despite record breaking gas prices local businesses seem hopeful about the upcoming months. Kate Dawson talks with some tourist-reliant business owners in the KRCC listening area about this weekend and the summer to come.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 4:16 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Holiday
Gaps in Mental Care Persist for Ft. Carson Soldiers
May 25, 2007 2:35 PM
Photo: Daniel Zwerdling, NPRSix months ago, an NPR investigation found that leaders at Fort Carson, Colo., were punishing some soldiers who returned from war with serious mental health problems - and were preventing them from getting the treatment they needed. In some cases, officers kicked the soldiers out of the Army.
Those stories sparked ongoing investigations of the post, including one by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators and another by Pentagon officials.
Early this year, commanders at Fort Carson responded by launching what they described as an important new program: They required every leader, from sergeants up to generals, to attend a training course on how to spot and help soldiers who potentially have post-traumatic stress disorder. Officials say more than 2,200 leaders have taken the course so far, most of them early this year.
But during a recent return trip to Fort Carson to see whether conditions for troubled soldiers had improved, the most significant changes appeared to be rhetorical.
[LISTEN to and read more about this story here]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 2:35 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Drug Use , Ft. Carson , Health , Legal Affairs , Media , Military , Politics
May 24, 2007
Ritter Signs Energy Rebate Mandate
May 24, 2007 10:21 AM
Coloradans will get rebates on their utility bills if they conserve energy under a new law. Governor Ritter signed the legislation earlier this week, it's part of a package of new renewable energy measures. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 10:21 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage , Colorado , Energy , Environment , Politics , Utilities
May 22, 2007
Jared Polis Enters Race
May 22, 2007 7:26 PM
Boulder businessman Jared Polis has entered the race for Congress from Colorado's 2nd district. That means the wealthy businessman will face off against state senate president Joan Fitzgerald in the Democratic primary for the seat. The two are vying for the seat that Congressman Mark Udall is leaving to run for U.S. senate. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 7:26 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage , Politics
Colorado Congressional Delegation Praises Ft. Carson
May 22, 2007 5:19 PM
Last week we reported that a delegation of staffers from the U.S. House and Senate visited Ft. Carson to look into allegations that the Army is mistreating soldiers with mental health problems.
Today, members of Colorado's congressional delegation who sent staffers on the visit sent a letter to the Army to follow up.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:19 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado , Ft. Carson , Health , Military , Politics
Healthcare Commission Final Four
May 22, 2007 9:47 AM
Everyone in Colorado would have health care coverage within three years, under new proposals from the state's blue ribbon healthcare commission. The commission will issue final recommendations to the legislature next year. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 9:47 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Business/Labor , Capitol Coverage , Children & Youth , Colorado , Health , Legal Affairs , Politics
May 21, 2007
Colo Senators Optimistic for New Immigration Bill
May 21, 2007 4:56 PM
It looks like Congress is taking seriously a new round of debate about immigration in the coming weeks. Democrats have advanced a new bill that observers are calling a mixed bag with something for everyone to love, or hate.
Colorado Senator Ken Salazar was a leading proponent of comprehensive immigration reform last November. A bill to overhaul immigration laws died for lack of action. The Democrat say the new bill achieves the same goals he set last time.
Republican Wayne Allard has been critical of proposals to bring the estimated 12 million undocumented workers in the U.S. into the light of citizenship ahead of a backlog of some 8 million trying to enter legally.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 4:56 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Agriculture/Ranching , Business/Labor , Immigration , Politics
Springs Culture Cast, Edition 14 (Part 1)
May 21, 2007 10:36 AM
In Part 1 this week, Springs Culture Cast drops in on the "Best of the Springs" party hosted by The Gazette at the Pikes Peak Center. [SpringsCultureCast.com] for more info.
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 10:36 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture
May 18, 2007
Springs Native remembers the Golden Age of Jazz
May 18, 2007 2:26 PM
[LISTEN]
Photographs of jazz legends, taken by William P. Gottlieb, are on display at the Fine Arts Center Modern Gallery in downtown Colorado Springs. Catch the exhibit now through June 24th in the Plaza of the Rockies on South Tejon. [LINK TO FAC]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 2:26 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture , Colorado Springs
The Global Warming Doubters By Kirk Siegler
May 18, 2007 1:51 PM
Aspen Public Radio's Kirk Siegler speaks with Auden Schendler, the Aspen Skiing Company's environmental czar. Schendler has an article in this month's High Country News about the fight over global warming.
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 1:51 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado , Environment , Regional
May 17, 2007
Sand Creek Massacre Site Wins National Historic Designation
May 17, 2007 5:02 PM
Looking southwest, Sand Creek or Chivington Massacre, 1864.
O. Y. Rookstool
Ryan Warner of KCFR in Denver recently spoke to Roberts and Brady for the KCFR program "Colorado Matters."
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:02 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture , Colorado , History , Immigration , Memorial , Regional
Customers Demand Locally-grown Food
May 17, 2007 4:50 PM
To offer customers the lowest prices, U.S. food retailers need to buy in volume, and that often means turning to producers who are thousands of kilometers from where shoppers fill their grocery carts. But as consumers grow more concerned about fossil fuel consumption and sustainable agriculture, they're demanding more locally grown food on their store shelves. And some retailers are responding. Reporting on how this trend is taking hold in Colorado, here's Shelly Schlender.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 4:50 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Agriculture/Ranching , Animal Rights/Wellfare , Business/Labor , Colorado , Environment
The Big Something #3
May 17, 2007 3:09 PM
On this special Mother's Day edition hear shocking tales of host Noel Black's birth, and how announcer Craig Richardson's mother once initiated her own picket line on his behalf.
Plus, making fun of This American Life, saying goodbye to Michelle's, and Brian "Scoop" Nemeth gives us the lowdown on cainine matrimoney.
What else could it be? The Big Something.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 3:09 PM| Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to KRCC Programs
Springs Culture Cast, Edition 13 (Parts 1, 2 & 3)
May 17, 2007 1:43 AM
In Part 1 of this week's Springs Culture Cast, reporter Sue Spengler covers Sierra High School's final Poetry Slam of the school year.
In Part 2, Springs Culture Cast producer Craig Richardson interviews Jeff DeMers at the Rubbish Gallery, where his work is on display until June 1.
In Part 3 this week, Springs Culture Cast producer Craig Richardson drops in on an opening reception for artists George Sanchez, Kim Polomka, and Lorelei Beckstrom at Plantera Group.
More at their website [Springs Culture Cast].
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 1:43 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture
May 16, 2007
J. Salazar, Udall Try to Stop Drilling on Roan Plateau
May 16, 2007 5:54 PM
Click to enlarge.There is a new development to report in a decade long fight between environmentalists and the energy industry in western Colorado. Two of Colorado's democratic congressman are pushing a measure that would stop oil and gas drilling atop the Roan Plateau, between Rifle and Grand Junction. Congressman John Salazar - whose district includes the Garfield County landmark - and congressman Mark Udall hope to slip in what's called a funding limitation in the 2008 Appropriations bill. The measure aims to freeze any public money from being spent on leasing of the Roan to energy companies.
Aspen Public Radio's Kirk Siegler has details: [LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:54 PM| Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Agriculture/Ranching , Business , Colorado , Energy , Environment , Politics
Congressional Delegation Visits Carson, Investigates Mental Health
May 16, 2007 5:43 PM
Soldiers and Army families unhappy with the mental health treatment Ft. Carson provides had a chance to sound off to Congress this week. A bipartisan group of nine U.S. senators and congressmen sent a team of their staffers to Ft. Carson Monday for two days of fact-finding about mental health problems being reported at the base. Carson has come under fire in the media following allegations by soldiers that leaders there mistreat troops with Post Traumatic Sttress disorder, or PTSD.
[LISTEN]
Read More -->GUESS: They really have no tolerance for PTSD or anything like that.
WHITNEY: Nicholas Guess is a private at Ft. Carson whose done two tours in Iraq.
GUESS: Ft. Carson they pretty much just try to kick you out, instead of letting you receive the help you really need. Myself and others, we're definitely not normal, at least comparatively to how we were before. We just have problems and they're really not being seen to here.
WHITNEY: Complaints like Pvt. Guess' are nothing new to the group Veterans For America, or VFA. VFA has been complaining about mistreatment of soldiers with PTSD and mental health problems since shortly after the war in Iraq began. And VFA was instrumental in getting members of Congress to send the staff delegation that was at Ft. Carson for closed door sessions Monday and Tuesday. Steve Robinson, a director for VFA, says Carson still has a long way to go, but it's making progress.
ROBINSON: We do agree that Ft. Carson has many things that are going to be spread across the military, that are good programs that are just now starting.
JOHNSON: Mental Health, post traumatic stress disorder, it is an Army-wide challenge.
WHITNEY: Lt. Col. Dave Johnson is a public affairs officer at Ft. Carson. He says it's important to note that the congressional staffers who came to the mountain post this week are also going to other Army bases on similar fact finding trips about mental health, and that Congressional representatives have already spent a lot of time here.
JOHNSON: We welcomed them here in January, we welcomed our Colorado delegation here in February, we welcomed Congressman Udall here in March, and we welcomed the Senate Congressional staffers here just a few days ago, and we'd welcome them here again, because we're really proud of our program.
WHITNEY: In response to criticism from veterans groups, Ft. Carson earlier this year started making mid-level and senior leaders take special trainings on how to identify and deal with post-traumatic stress disorder. In the coming weeks, Johnson says, a similar training will be made mandatory for junior enlisted leaders. Ft. Carson is also the first military base to start screening all of its troops returning from combat for Traumatic Brain Injuries.
Veterans For America praises Ft. Carson for those steps, but says the base still needs more mental health treatment providers to care for the thousands of its soldiers returning home with PTSD, brain injuries and other mental health problems.
Ft. Carson has maintained from the beginning of the war that they have adequate mental health staff to deal with demand.
But now, Lt. Col. Johnson says the base could use some extra help.
JOHNSON: We could use some more providers. But one of the things one interesting doc mentioned is, there's not a lot of them out there, meaning psychiatrists or other medically qualified people.
WHITNEY: Johnson says Ft. Carson has enough mental health staff now, but will have to meet a bigger demand at so called "surge" times, when large numbers of soldiers are either coming back from combat, or preparing to go again.
Soldiers and the group Veterans for America, though, say there's already a shortage of mental health providers at Ft. Carson. They say some soldiers with PTSD are only able to see a counselor for individual treatment for half-an-hour a month. Specialist Alex Lotero says he's been diagnosed with PTSD, and that mostly treatment consists of being sent to group therapy sessions that he says aren't effective.
LOTERO: All it is is a bunch of dudes in there, just basically bitching about what's going on at the unit, and that's all that you hear, one dude's problem with his chain command, another guy's problems with his chain of command and that's all you hear.
WHITNEY: Lotero is one of about 20 soldiers who were able to tell their stories to the congressional staff delegation here this week. Another 20 family members of Ft. Carson soldiers also met with the delegation. Veterans for America says its satisfied that the delegation got a good picture of challenges at the base, and Army officers, too, said they think they got a chance to tell their side of the story. Both sides say they expect the delegation to publish a report on mental health issues at Ft. Carson and Army-wide in the coming weeks.
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:43 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Drug Use , Ft. Carson , Legal Affairs , Military , Politics
May 15, 2007
Springs Super would be First Black State Education Commissioner
May 15, 2007 5:35 PM
The sole candidate for Colorado's top education job is already thinking about what legacy he would want to leave. For starters he says a kinder friendlier education department. The state's current education commissioner is retiring and often had a contentious relationship with superintendents and school boards. Lawmakers say they're hopeful the next commissioner can turn that around. Bente Birkeland reports from Colorado Springs.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:35 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage , Children & Youth , Colorado Springs , Education , Ft. Carson , Politics
May 14, 2007
Repeated Deployments Take Toll On Military Families
May 14, 2007 3:56 PM
Earlier this year, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that soldiers deploying to Iraq can expect to be there up to 15 months. That's three months longer than the 12 month combat tours that have become standard since the war began. Army policy has been to give soldiers two years at home for every one they spend overseas, but since the war began, that so-called "dwell time" has been cut in half to one year.
KRCC's Charlotte Perea.
Click here for more.
Repeated deployments are hard on military families. Charlotte Perea talked with some military wives last week, as they were getting some pampering at a special "spa day" for them at the Southeast Armed Services YMCA.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 3:56 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Ft. Carson , Military , Slideshow
May 11, 2007
Orphan Care and Adoption Summit at Focus on the Family
May 11, 2007 6:30 PM
In America, there are generally more families that want to adopt children than there are newborns available. But, the opposite is true for foster children. The government estimates that there about 115,000 kids in foster care in the country ready and waiting to be adopted. Evangelical leaders say that's a big motivation for the three-day Orphan Care and Adoption Summit wrapping up today at Focus on the Family. This is the third year they've held such a conference. The last two drew about a hundred people combined. This year, it's significantly bigger.
Click to see photos
from the event.
[LISTEN]
Listen to this story at NPR's website, as well. [NPR LINK]
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 6:30 PM| Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Children & Youth , Legal Affairs , Religion , Slideshow
Legislative Wrap Up with KGNU
May 11, 2007 3:46 PM
Host Joel Edelstein interviewed Bente Birkeland and Charles Ashby the capitol reporter with the Pueblo Chieftain. Edelstein had just finished a half hour interview with Democratic Representatives, Morgan Carroll from Aurora and Jack Pommer from Boulder.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 3:46 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage , Politics
May 10, 2007
Aspen Business Capitalizes on Looming CO2 Tax By Kirk Siegler
May 10, 2007 7:12 PM
With the prospect of a looming tax on carbon emissions, Richard Heede is a busy man these days. Heede recently left the Snowmass-based Rocky Mountain Institute to form a business called Climate Mitigation Services. The company provides detailed analysis of a city, non-profit, or private company's greenhouse gas emissions. The services and analysis of companies like Climate Mitigation Services are in high demand these days, as many in the public and private sector believe a carbon tax is coming soon.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 7:12 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado , Energy , Environment
May 9, 2007
Colorado's New Task Force on Foster Care
May 9, 2007 4:35 PM
Colorado Legislature passed a bill this year to create a 24-person panel to address problems in Colorado's foster care and adoption systems. The task force hopes to develop better methods to mediate conflicts between adoptive parents, agencies, birth parents and foster care groups.
Focus on the Family is one of the groups interested in joining the panel. Focus is launching the third annual three-day adoption summit in Colorado Springs today to encourage Evangelicals in the U.S. to consider adopting kids out of foster homes. Eric Whitney spoke with Mark Andre of Focus on the Family, who is Director of the Christian group's open care initiative.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Tay Wiles at 4:35 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Children & Youth , Religion
Poli Sci Prof Straayer on Gov. Ritter's First Legislative Session
May 9, 2007 4:23 PM
The state's legislative session is over, but the repercussions from it are just beginning. Our Denver reporter Bente Birkeland spoke with John Straayer, a political science professor at Colorado State University, to get his perspective on the Governor's first legislative session.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Tay Wiles at 4:23 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage
May 8, 2007
Police After Action Report on St. Pat's Parade
May 8, 2007 6:24 PM
This is the audio of Colorado Springs Police Chief Richard Meyers' "After action report" to Colorado Springs City Council, given on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. He gave a nearly identical presentation the day before.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 6:24 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Crime , Legal Affairs , Media
Governor Signing Hundreds of Bills
May 8, 2007 4:18 PM
Governor Bill Ritter has signed more than 200 bills and vetoed two. He has another month to sign or veto any remaining bills or let them become law without his signature. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.
[ LISTEN ]
Posted by Tay Wiles at 4:18 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage
Springs Culture Cast, Edition 12 (Parts 1 & 2)
May 8, 2007 10:55 AM
In Part 1 this week, reporter Sue Spengler takes us to Benet Hill Center Auditorium for the Pikes Peak Flute Choir's Musical Spring Fling.
In Part 2 of Edition 12, Springs Culture Cast producer Craig Richardson visits the FAC Modern and takes a quick look at Portraits from the Golden Age of Jazz: Photographs by William P. Gottlieb.
More at their website [Springs Culture Cast].
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 10:55 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture
May 7, 2007
Police Chief: Parade Organizer, Activists to Blame for St. Patty's Day Arrests
May 7, 2007 5:32 PM
The Springs Police Chief says cops didn't do anything wrong at the St. Patrick's day parade.
Police Chief Richard Meyers gave his after-action report to Colorado Springs City Council today on events that led to seven peace activists being arrested amid accusations of police brutality.
[LISTEN]
Read More -->
Meyers said he "deeply regrets" what happened, but laid the blame for it at the feet of the peace protesters and the organizers of the parade. He said the first "strategic decision" that led to the arrests was made by the activists. They entered the parade under false pretenses, Meyers said, not informing police or parade organizers that members of the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Coalition would be marching under an entry permitted to The Bookman, a west side bookstore that promotes children's literacy.
The St. Patrick's day parade is organized by a private, for-profit group. They made the rules for who could be in the parade, and those rules say no "social messages" are allowed. When organizers got wind of anti-war messages being displayed by the bookman group, they asked police to remove them from the parade. Meyers said police only got involved to keep peace between organizers and activists after they disagreed about the activists being removed from the parade.
And Police Chief Meyers said the second of two strategic decisions that led to the arrests was made by parade organizers. They could, Meyers said, have tried to negotiate with the activists, or simply let them march, and then take up issues of permit violation after the event was over.
Meyers categorically denied that city police were brutal or mistreated the activists they arrested. He said what appears to be a choke hold in one widely circulated photo was actually an approved counterbalancing technique and that the department does not use chokeholds. Meyers also displayed a photo of an officer with his Taser pistol unholstered, but explained that the weapon's cartridge had been removed and posed little threat to the public, and that the officer used the Taser legitimately to keep the crowd back when he feared for his own safety.
We'll have more on Chief of Police Richard Meyers' after action report to city council at 6:30 tonight, and look for more information on our website, KRCC.org.
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:32 PM| Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Crime , Elections , Legal Affairs , Media , Military
The BIG Something #2
May 7, 2007 11:17 AM
Intrepid Noel Black
does the radio dumpster diving,
so you don't have to.Like a pony head, but spicy...
This week on The BIG Something, Noel interviews Paul Asay, religion writer for the Colorado Springs Gazette. We also hear Episcopalian Bishop John Spong talk about Jesus for the non-Religious. And then there's the spicy pony head.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 11:17 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Animal Rights/Wellfare , Arts & Culture , Colorado Springs , Gay & Lesbian , KRCC Programs , Religion
Legislative Session Ends
May 7, 2007 10:09 AM
Colorado's legislative session ended Friday, five days ahead of schedule. Lawmakers say the last few days were anti-climatic compared to previous years. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 10:09 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Capitol Coverage
Springs Culture Cast, Edition 11
May 7, 2007 9:25 AM
This week Springs Culture Cast producer Craig Richardson visits the Pikes Peak Center for A Day at the Zoo, part of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Family Series.
More at their website [Springs Culture Cast].
Read More -->
Posted by Delaney Utterback at 9:25 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Arts & Culture , Colorado Springs
May 4, 2007
Peace Activists Walk Out of City Meeting
May 4, 2007 3:39 PM
Peace activists arrested in Colorado Springs in 2003 were supposed to be part of a panel discussion with the City of Colorado Springs and Springs Police today. The activists walked out of the event before it could begin, though.
The public discussion was ordered by a judge. It was part of a settlement the City made with the activists after the activists sued over their treatment by Springs Police. The settlement said the discussion would be both public and videotaped, to be shown on the city's public access TV channel and as a training aid for police.
But before the panel was seated, activist Eric Doub of Boulder said activists would not participate. They said the city broke the terms of the settlement agreement by not consulting them about a moderator for the event, and denying them a hand in producing the final video product documenting the event.
The city denied that it had broken the settlement agreement. Assistant City Attorney Tom Marrese asked the activists to participate in the panel, and then return to a judge if they still had issues with how the video record would be handled.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 3:39 PM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Crime , Legal Affairs
Gazette Religion Writer on Grace Episcopal Split
May 4, 2007 10:45 AM
This week Grace Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs voted to elect new vestry members. The move signals an even wider rift between those loyal to the Episcopal Church and those who decided to split, and align themselves with the conservative Congregation of Anglicans in North American, or CANA.
The split has been shrouded in allegations of financial wrongdoing on the part of Reverend Don Armstrong and a heated dispute over the ownership of the historical Grace Church property downtown. To help sort out some the latest developments, Noel Black spoke with Gazette religion reporter Paul Asay.
The day after this interview took place, Paul Asay announced his resignation from the Gazette effective in two weeks. To hear a longer
interview with him about his four-year tenure covering everything from
Ted Haggard to the recent Episcopal schism, tune in to The Big
Something at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
[LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 10:45 AM| Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Crime , Legal Affairs , Politics , Religion
Peace Activists/City: Let's Keep Talking
May 4, 2007 9:48 AM
Expect a lot more dialog between Colorado Springs peace activists and city government.
Activists and city officials met May 2nd, will meet again today, May 4, and both sides say they want to keep talking in the future.
The Pikes Peak Peace and Justice Coalition's Eric Verlo and City Councilmember Jerry Heimlicher talk about what they're talking about in [THIS PIECE.]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 9:48 AM| Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Colorado Springs , Crime , Legal Affairs , Media , Military , Politics
May 3, 2007
CSU-Pueblo President on Affirmative Action
May 3, 2007 5:41 PM
In 2008, Colorado voters may be faced with a ballot initiative that would amend affirmative action out of the state constitution in 2008. The initiative aims to remove employment, education, and contracting from current affirmative action policy. Colorado Unity, a non-profit and non-partisan organization that defends affirmative action, hosted an open forum at Colorado College May 3rd to talk about affirmative action, panelists included CSU-Pueblo President Joe Garcia, who spoke with KRCC's Eric Whitney.
[ LISTEN]
Posted by Eric Whitney at 5:41 PM| Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | Posted to Business , Business/Labor , Colorado , Elections , History , Latino/a , Legal Affairs , Politics , Pueblo ,