Today marks the last day of work for 176 city employees who were laid off in order to help close a $160 million gap in Denver’s budget. (Read this Denver Post story by reporter Christopher Osher for more.) Most of the layoffs — the equivalent of 108.5 positions — occurred…
Yesterday, Tom Tancredo confirmed his plans to run for governor now that state senator Josh Penry has dropped out of the race. That throws a kink into frontrunner Scott McInnis’ dream of a united party — united behind him, anyhow. Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, claims to…
You’ve got to have a surplus of political creativity to criticize an opponent for voting as your guy would have, as opposed to going the other direction. So props to Cory Gardner campaign manager Mike Ciletti for pulling off a difficult routine regarding Democratic Representative Betsy Markey’s “no” vote on…
A short time ago, Tom Tancredo was at Denver International Airport. “I’m going to Houston,” he said. “I have a speech I’m making to the Texas Coalition for Immigration Reform, or something like that.” But Tancredo took a few minutes to make it clear that he does indeed plan to…
Yesterday, we told you about a tweet sent out by Shmuck of the Week emeritus Senator Dave Schultheis, in which he essentially compared President Barack Obama to a 9/11 hijacker: @Sen_Schultheis: Don’t for a second think Obama wants what is best for U.S. He is flying the US Plane right…
Back in 2002 a Westword cover portrayed the ever-irascible Douglas Bruce as a pit bull. The story was about his long-running battle with Denver officials over dilapidated properties, but the image is still apt. Throughout his dueling with tax-and-spenders over the TABOR Amendment, his short but stormy career as a…
Finding good local blogs made easy. Denver Stiffs’ Andrew Feinstein was at Chicago’s United Center last night to watch the Bulls come within a nanosecond of stealing a game from the Nuggets. Suck it, Brad Miller. Square State’s Zappatero thinks Betsy Markey’s “no” vote on the healthcare bill was a…
State senator Dave Schultheis, one of our go-to guys when it comes to choosing a Shmuck of the Week, may have announced his retirement — but that doesn’t mean he’s lost his knack for offending the sensibilities of anyone with a brain larger than an acorn. Big Dave’s started his…
Josh Penry made his decision to pull out of the 2010 gubernatorial race official yesterday, issuing a statement that stops considerably short of formally endorsing his main conservative rival for the office, Scott McInnis. He likewise avoided anointing McInnis the Republican most worthy of taking down current guv Bill Ritter…
Editor’s note: Westword is live blogging Governor Bill Ritter’s presentation to the state’s Joint Budget Committee about his proposed 2010-11 budget. The state is facing a $1.02 billion shortfall. The most recent posts are at the top. For the complete story, read from the bottom up. 3:50 p.m.: Ritter answers…
Even though Diana DeGette has big problems with an amendment to the mammoth healthcare bill limiting access to abortions, she voted for the measure. Not so Betsy Markey, the only Democratic representative from Colorado to turn her thumb down — and it doesn’t seem to have been a last-minute decision…
Just because the House of Representatives passed a healthcare bill this weekend doesn’t mean it’ll stay passed. Denver congresswoman Diana DeGette is leading a group of reproductive-rights supporters who are mad as hell that the version of the legislation okayed on Saturday contains an amendment co-authored by Michigan Democrat Bart…
There weren’t a lot of hints in advance regarding state senator Josh Penry’s decision to pull the plug on his gubernatorial campaign, which he’s expected to do later today. This past Thursday, Penry spokesman Andrew Cole roundly ridiculed rival Scott McInnis’ no-debating stance in this space, insisting that “there are…
Examine these local blogs, why don’t you? Andrew Feinstein at Denver Stiffs sizes up two bad Nuggets losses. Lucky thing George Karl can put J.R. Smith in tomorrow night… Colorado Pols looks at what Scott McInnis and Mitt Romney have in common. Aside from their resemblance to Muppet newscasters? The…
The Department of the Interior just designated six renewable energy projects, including a 400-megawatt solar tower, as “fast-track” developments deserving of the highest priority. All six of the projects happen to be in California. Hard to believe that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar would ignore all the potential energy sources in…
This morning, gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis’ responded to critics of his decision not to debate his fellow Republican rivals with a Denver Post op-ed in which he argued that while “GOP candidate forums” are fine, direct faceoffs will do more harm than good. “Republicans aren’t afraid of differing views,” he…
Local blogs for locals like you. Former Colorado Independent staffer Wendy Norris launches Western Citizen, her new online news project, with a story about the tough financial times being faced by backers of the latest personhood amendment. Fetus don’t fail them now. John Reidy at South Stands Denver interviews ESPN’s…
Update.: Several hours after this blog was published, Douglas County Republican Party chairman John Ransom gave me a shout after all. Look below to read about the events that preceded his call as well as his subsequent comments… Original post: Some guys are sore winners. In an October 26 blog,…
Say it ain’t so, Dave! Colorado Springs Republican state senator Dave Schultheis, whose untenable positions and fabulously xenophobic quotes made him one of Westword’s favorite Shmucks of the Week, has announced that he won’t seek reelection in 2010. A champion of small-minded racists, Schultheis wasn’t just vilified by Democrats; he…
Last night was a good one for Republicans, who won governor’s seats in New Jersey and Virginia over opponents for whom President Barack Obama had actively campaigned. But the news wasn’t as positive in a New York congressional race either for right-leaning residents of the area or a right-leaning former…
I’ve been looking for a second stamp for a week so that I could mail in my ballot in today’s election. I had one stamp, which I affixed to the large yellow-brown ballot I got in the mail. But then I saw the note that said mailing the ballot would…
Click on a local blog. You’ll be glad you did. The folks at Rocky Mountain Right are launching the Red Dawn Project, described as “a new initiative to help promote viable, conservative challengers seeking offices currently held by Democrats in Colorado.” For the love of Swayze! Because of the Nuggets’…
