Thursday, February 28, 2013

Parks and Rec calls for volunteers at contaminated Superfund site

From Facebook:
The Colorado Audubon Society and Denver Parks and Recreation are looking for volunteers to help at Heron Pond, located on 53rd Ave & Franklin St. on May 11, 2013 from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Please contact Tina Romero at 303.916.2694 if you are interested in participating.
1Like ·  · 
  • 3 people like this.
  • Gerald Trumbule I thought that Heron Pond was highly contaminated. Will hazmat suits be provided?



From: Heron Pond Management Plan
See pages 6 and 23(map)
Toxic Materials
The old Globe smelter operated by ASARCO, Inc. is located a few hundred yards
west of Heron Pond immediately west of the intersection of 54th and Washington Streets
(Figure 2). The plant currently produces lithage (lead oxide), bismuth oxide, test lead,
and refines high-purity metals (Anonymous 1998a). The Globe Plant has been a
processing site for various heavy metals since the 1880’s (Anonymous 1998a). The
smelting operations left elevated levels of cadmium, lead, zinc, and arsenic in ground
water, surface water, sediments and soil at and near the plant (Anonymous 1998b). An
area around the Globe smelter, including all of the Heron Pond Natural Area, lies within
the Superfund site. The State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
(CDPHE) has been the lead agency at this site.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

DeHerrera Family to Demand Answers at Mayor's Office/Webb Building

Results of illegal left-hand turn 
Denver -- On Friday, Colorado Progressive Coalition members and survivors of police misconduct will join with the DeHerrera family to support their call for justice after Corporal Randy Murr was reinstated. The DeHerrera's and survivors of police violence will speak to their cases at the Webb building in Denver and ask questions of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock as part of a delegation that will go to his office.
On Wednesday, February 20, hearing officers at the Civil Service Commission reinstated Murr, the police officer involved in the assault on Shawn Johnson and Michael DeHerrera. Murr was also involved in the assault on Alex Landau less than 90 days prior. Murr was reinstated despite, as the Denver Post's Vincent Carroll stated, "...[having told at] least three different stories about what happened outside a club in LoDo on April 4, 2009...."
Anthony and Denise DeHerrera and Alex Landau will speak at a community gathering of roughly 40-80 people in front of the Webb building at noon then head to the City and County building where a delegation will attempt to speak with Mayor Michael Hancock and Manager of Safety Alex Martinez. After the event is over, the delegation will also look to speak with Chief Robert White at the Police Administrative Building.
During the event at the Webb Building, Landau will provide a narrative and visual timeline of the police brutality stemming from his case that has occurred due to the city's disciplinary failures including the Civil Service Commission's decisions in the Denver Diner and DeHerrera cases.
"Over four years after the modern day Jim Crow brutality that I experienced at the hands of Denver law enforcement, the only thing that has transpired with the officers involved in my case is that they've gone on to attack other community members," said Landau. "Two of the officers were recently reinstated in their respective roles in attacking community members. On March 1, I am coming together with survivors of those cases of police brutality to call for termination of these violent officers, and we are inviting the community to join us."
Who:
The DeHerrera Family
Alex Landau
Colorado Progressive Coalition members and leaders
Speakers to include:
Alex Landau
Anthony DeHerrera
Denise DeHerrera
What:
A community rally and formal delegation to respond to the Civil Service Commission's decision to reinstate Corporal Murr after his part in the Michael DeHerrera beating.
Concerned Denver residents will offer support for the family as they move over to the City and County Building to speak with Mayor Michael Hancock and Manager of Safety.
After the event, the delegation will attempt to speak with Chief White at the Denver .
When:
Friday, March 1, 2013 at 12 p.m.
Where:
Webb Municipal Building, 7th Floor 201 W Colfax Ave, Dept 803 Denver, CO 80202
City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St Denver, CO 80202
Police Administrative Building, 1331 Cherokee St Denver, CO 80202

The Naysayer - by Phil Goodstein - March, 2013



Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Denver Cops Still Busting the Homeless

Remember the new homeless (urban camping) ordinance that was passed last year?

A controversial ordinance to ban "unauthorized" camping in the city of Denver--a measure that specifically targets homeless people sleeping on the streets and one that critics say simply criminalizes homelessness--was approved by the Denver City Council by a 9-4 vote Monday night.
And remember Chief White's statements then?
Police Chief Robert White has promised that the police will be more relaxed than the ordinance allows. If the 'camper' hasn't broken any other law and shelter space were filled up or unavailable, "we aren't going to make an arrest," White said to The Denver Post.
Not So
Every once in a while I run into a street person that I've gotten to know. I've learned that they will give me their honest report about what's actually going down in their world. Today's report is from "Jack":

He just got out of jail on a 60-day sentence for "trespassing", reduced to 45 days for good behavior. His trespassing consisted of sleeping on the ground behind a store a block from the 16th Street Mall. The same cop, "Jane", had told him on three other nights to "move on" from this spot and he was busted on the fourth night. "She's a real hard-ass" he said.
From Denver's Road Home -The cost per night to the City of Denver to house a person who is homeless at Denver Cares is over $200. The cost per night to house the person in jail is $55.
So, taking the less expensive alternative, jail, is $55 for 45 nights = $2,475. Really, really dumb way for us to spend our money.
Overlooking the lies we were told to get this repressive law passed, and the "need" we had for a gigantic new jail, (oh, I forgot, they had to re-brand it as a new "Justice Center" to get it passed), it looks like what we really got was a very expensive new homeless shelter.

Expensive new homeless shelter, aka, Denver's Justice Center

Maybe we should just admit that and start allowing the homeless to sleep in the jail without the burdensome, and expensive, bother of arrest. We are already paying to keep the jail clean, warm, and ready to receive patrons. Let's just change the cell numbers to room numbers and save a bunch of money.
P.S. I forgot to add that Jack also reported that police rounded up 67 campers on one night last week. 67 x $2,475 = $165,825.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Latest A64 Information from Colorado Dept. of Revenue


Amendment 64


 Amendment 64

Implementation Task Force

 

Meeting Notices

  

Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force Meetings 


Monday, February 25, 2013
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 28, 2013
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  
 Location:  Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center
1300 Broadway, First Floor
Denver, Colorado 80203


 ~~~~~


Meetings of Working Groups

(Working Groups listed in alphabetical order)


Friday, February 22, 2013

Forum on Hentzell Park - Saturday, Feb. 23


The House District #9 Democrats present a forum on Hentzell Park at their monthly meeting Saturday, February 23.  Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. 
The meeting starts at 9:00 at Calvary Baptist Church, Monaco and Hampden.  The forum is expected to last about 45 minutes.  Participants will be Joe Halpern and Dave Felice presenting the case for saving the natural area, and Councilwoman Peggy Lehmann supporting the land swap with the school district.  There will be audience questions.
HD 9 is south central Denver.  Senator Pat Steadman and Representative Paul Rosenthal are expected to be at the meeting.
We need as many Hentzell Park supporters as possible.  Signs will be available and sign holders are particularly welcome to gather prior to the meeting about 8:30.  This is another excellent opportunity for spontaneous expression of 1st Amendment rights.

Sen. Aguilar’s Cooperative bill introduction delayed



logo

Now, it's more important than ever to attend the Saturday Feb. 23 event!
Sen. Aguilar will provide updates as well as the information about the bill and the Cooperative.  This is your chance to know the latest, plan next steps, acquire the skills to be even more effective.  Tomorrow 8:00-3:30 Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette St., Denver.  Lunch for $10 but workshop is free.  RSVP at info@Co-operateColorado.org
State Sen. Irene Aguilar, M.D.’s introduction of a bill for the Colorado Health Care Cooperative will likely be delayed, rather than taking place on Feb. 22 as planned. We will provide more detailed information and updates as soon as they become available.

Note: Added in second email.


The introduction of Senator Aguilar's Cooperative Legislation was delayed because of genuine concern within the Democratic Caucus about whether it should be a referred statute or a Constitutional Amendment. The delay is not an attempt to stop or damage the Cooperative, but a disagreement among supporters about the best way to proceed. However, because the disagreement involves complex legal, legislative, and Constitutional issues, it will take more than a day or two to resolve these issues. We anticipate the necessary meetings to discuss the issues will take place the week of February 25th, and after resolution, there will be a few days delay for Legislative Council to rewrite the legislation.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Live Infotainment on this Holiday (10:40 am)

All Things MJ with Jessica LeRoux - February 18, 2013

Hey Now
Somehow I have lost my older emails and with it the list I use to contact you, so Ive done my best to remember the email addresses for about 250 out of over 300 of you all, and if I forgot you, please let me know...
Also today (2-17) is the 6th anniversary of the unresolved Murder of my dear friend Ken Gorman, who was slain in his home in 2007 shortly after a media appearance where he endorsed medical cannabis. Please smoke a joint in Ken's memory tonight, and if you can give a joint to a person in need that would be a great way to honor Kens memory. Please dont ever let Ken Gorman be forgotten. Do the homework and send the emails in Ken's Memory, because we owe this man a huge debt of gratitude for laying down the guidelines for all the changes we have reaped and enjoyed...
Ive been to quite a few A-64 meetings since I talked to you last... and here are my thoughts and ways I think you can help our industry.

Forum on Hentzell Park Natural Area Land Swap - Saturday, February 23rd, 9-10:30 AM

The Denver School Board will commit (or decide not to commit) to using the land for a school AFTER the de-designated Hentzell Park Natural Area 9 acres and the 2.5 acres of parking lot are actually transferred to Denver Public Schools. Clearly the School Board should have committed to building a school on the land if they received it BEFORE the de-designation, and certainly BEFORE the land is turned over to DPS. Having the land de-designated and turned over to DPS before they commit makes the risk that the land will be flipped into commercial use seem unacceptably high. And what will happen to the 11.5 acres if DPS doesn’t build a school there and it is not converted to commercial use? The tragic loss of 9 acres of designated Denver natural area will have been for… what? Perhaps someone knows what the options are, but the citizens of Denver do not.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Denver Bond Promises Not Kept – Mayor Hancock and City Council Are Betting Your Memory is Short… The Latest Flimflam

$40 million bond bait and switch - read entire article on George-in-Denver here.

"Those weasel words have been embraced by the city’s mamma’s and papa’s, including the mayor, the city council (with the notable exception of Councilperson Faatz), and the city attorney’s office to work the flimflam, the bait and switch on the people of Denver to the extent that the original intent of 1H has been gutted, prostituted for purposing the following:
Purpose 8 New Construction of Cultural System Facilities
o Boettcher Concert Hall – reduce funding from $40,000,000 to $13,881,000
Add new project for DPAC Champa Street Bridge in the amount of $2,500,000
Add new project for Denver Art Museum – Ponti Building in the amount of $3,000,000
Add new project for Denver Botanic Gardens – Café, Restroom and Science Pyramid in the amount of $6,619,000
Add new project for Denver Museum of Nature and Science and Denver Zoo – shared parking in the amount of $4,400,000
Add new project for Levitt Pavillion Amphitheater at Ruby Hill in the amount of $2,000,000
Add new project for McNichols Building Improvements in the amount of $4,800,000
Add new project for Red Rocks Amphitheater in the amount of $2,800,000"

Gun regs debate live from Colorado House

http://www.coloradochannel.net/colorado-house-2013-legislative-day-38

Thursday, February 14, 2013

More from Fairplay, Colorado



Colorado Gov. Hick on drinking fracking fluid


Ed: Received as Press Release from Hickenlooper for Colorado See also Water fouled with fracking chemicals spews near Windsor

Photo added
"Despite what you might have heard, I much prefer drinking beer to frack fluid.
For the uninitiated, "frack fluid" is the liquid product oil and gas developers use in deep underground drilling operations. It is mostly water, but includes other ingredients and chemicals that are designed to open up oil and gas deposits and be recovered in the drilling process.
Knowing what's in the fluid and making sure the ingredients are known to the public is what prompted us to pass the most rigorous and transparent frack fluid disclosure rule in the country about a year ago. We negotiated that rule with industry and the environmental community (including the Environmental Defense Fund).
Our goal has been to encourage industry to use ingredients that are safe for the environment. So when an industry executive came to my office over a year ago touting the safety of their product - a new form of frack fluid based on food additives - we put him to the test by asking whether it was safe to drink. He said yes. So I challenged him to take a sip. He did, and so did I.
I can't say it tasted good, but it was, as advertised, a completely safe product for human consumption. (This is not to imply that anyone would drink the frack fluid being used today).
As we move forward in developing energy, we ought to insist on the strictest and most effective environmental safeguards.
Although tasting frack fluid might seem newsworthy to some, it was not really the point of testimony we recently gave to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in Washington, D.C. We were drawing attention to the fact that Colorado has created the most comprehensive and stringent set of regulations around oil and gas production in the country.
If you are interested in what went on there, please take a moment to click on this link (and go to 48:45) and let me know what you think."


Pinon Canyon Buy-back?

Colorado SB-13-037 proposes that the State undertake a buy-back of the land now comprising the Pinon Canyon maneuver site, originally seized by eminent domain (the largest ever). Overlooking the fact that the military has been using depleted uranium weapons on the site for years, original owners (mostly now deceased), their children/heirs, and other ranchers would be given the opportunity to buy back the land.

3-4-102. Legislative declaration. (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS, DETERMINES, AND DECLARES THAT:

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

All Things MJ with Jessica LeRoux - February 13, 2013

Hey Now,


Today 2-13-13 we will have a very important meeting that will have a serious impact on the ability of infused products to be a viable business going forward. Your support is sincerely needed at this time. If you are able to attend this meeting and testify this afternoon that would be fantastic, if you cannot attend you can still help by making phone calls or sending emails. 


Consumer Safety/Social Issues Working Group Meetings   

 Wednesday, February 13, 2013
2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(note extended meeting time)
Location: Colorado Department of Revenue
Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division Conference Room
455 Sherman Street, Suite 390
Denver, Colorado 80203

There has been consideration among group members for a THC quantity limit in food products   so that no one product (e.g., cookie, candy piece) may contain more than 20 mg of THC. Furrthermore, no food package may contain more than 100 mg of THC (or 5 servings).

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Denver City Council gearing up for marijuana regulations (or opting out?)

Get Microsoft Silverlight

If you have an hour and 49 minutes for a rollicking good time, tune in to the Denver City Council's hallucinogenic discussion of what they might do to implement A64. Hint: they are now referring to marijuana "dens".

At the beginning of this meeting, Charlie Brown says they are going to vote on whether or not Denver should OPT OUT at the next meeting in March. WTF! At the end of this meeting he changes that to April. There will be time for public testimony. I hope they conduct it in a larger space in anticipation of the hundreds who will certainly show up. You know how the dopers love to go on.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Park advocates urge mayor to keep Hentzell Natural Area intact



After a strong protest at a community meeting Saturday, neighborhood activists are hoping Mayor Michael B. Hancock seriously reconsiders his proposal to give away nine acres of Hentzell Park Natural Area.
Some 30 neighborhood protesters attended the mayor’s “Cabinet in the Community” at in the Harvey Park area.  Most of the activists stood like sentries, holding high large placards and signs across the entire length of the auditorium for nearly two hours.  They faced the dais at which Mayor Hancock, District #2 Councilwoman Faatz, and perhaps 20 of the Mayor’s cabinet members and other appointees were seated. 
The activists’ presence was quite apparent to the Mayor and his staff.  At the beginning of the meeting, mayoral community liaison Michael Sapp acknowledged from the podium the large turn-out of Hentzell Park supporters and requested that they be respectful of the agenda and the presence of children in the auditorium.  Park protectors said this admonition was unnecessary, because they had no intention of behaving inappropriately.


When the Mayor was introduced, he also acknowledged the presence of the Hentzell Park supporters, and read a prepared statement that was quite similar to what he read to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board at its December meeting.  The statement had been tweaked to mention the new push by Parks Manager Lauri Dannemiller to have the City Council formally designate many Denver parks which lacked such designation.  While the Mayor refrained from repeating his gaffe of calling the threatened nine acres of Hentzell Park Natural Area “blighted,” he renewed his pitch that his plan would “activate” this underutilized area. 
Park advocates say the irony of bulldozing a thriving, active wildlife habitat to “activate” it with people and buildings is apparently lost on the Mayor.  There was no opportunity for public comment during the program in the auditorium, but the Hentzell Park activists interacted with many citizens before and after the program and distributed informational materials to them.
As the Mayor entered the auditorium, he had to walk by a phalanx of sign-holders.  When he encountered on activist who asked Hancock to reconsider, the mayor reportedly replied:  “I’m still working on it,” and continued walking ahead.
Another protestor, holding a sign, said he tried to talk to Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz at the beginning of the meeting.  She reportedly said, “I support the new school there (at Hentzell Park)” and walked away.
At least two residents of the Hampden Heights neighborhood adjacent to Hentzell Park joined the protest.
After the meeting, while walking home in central Denver, one park advocate unexpectedly observed a “magnificent hawk (which) slowly flew out from the alley.”  The neighborhood activist says “(the hawk) crossed my path, at my eye level, not more than 15 feet in front of me.  He rose majestically to take perch on a power pole right across 6th Avenue.  I have never had such an up-close-and-personal encounter with a raptor in the wild.”  The activist says he takes this as a sign that the park protectors are on the correct path in campaigning to save the natural area. 
In his highly controversial proposal, Hancock wants to give nine acres of the unique Natural Area to the Denver Public School District, in exchange for an office building downtown.  The Parks and Recreation Board voted 11-6 to retain the Natural Area designation, but Hancock’s Manager of Parks and Recreation, Lauri Dannemiller, approved the de-designation.
The matter will come before City Council, most likely in March, for approval as a land transaction.
For more information, see www.DenverNature.Net and www.DenverDirect.tv.  The scheme has also been covered in depth by theGlendale Cherry Creek Chronicle (www.glendalecherrycreek.com/).

Friday, February 8, 2013

Historian Goodstein weighs in on Hentzell Park

Phil Goodstein

Here is a history lesson on Paul Hentzell.  I develop it in either The Haunts of Washington Park or the Ghosts of University Park.
Paul Hentzell was a long-time, conservative Republican who moved from University Park to new sections of southeast Denver. For the most part, he supported business as usual except with the police department.  In part, this was due to personal experience.
One day, Hentzell parked his car in the lot of the old police headquarters at 13th and Champa.  When he returned to his vehicle, three of the tires were flat, obvious police vandalism.  When he entered the building to complain, the police slammed him against the wall and beat him.  They only apologized when they realized that they had beaten the wrong man, not the usual suspect.  Hentzell landed up being part of the anti-McNichols majority on council during his last term. 
In other words, the park is named for some one who questioned the usual horrid treatment of blacks and others by the police department.  Get rid of the park, and we can get rid of the bad memories and proceed with police business as usual.

LATINO COMMUNITY MEMBERS PROTEST ABSENCE OF LATINO FINALISTS FOR DPS DISTRICT 4 VACANCY


ACCUSE BOARD PRESIDENT MARY SEAWELL OF IGNORING LATINO CONCERNS

Denver – Latino community members will hold a press conference on Tuesday, February 12th at 5:15pm at Escuela Tlatelolco (2949 Federal Blvd  Denver, CO 80211), a school with a history of educating Latino students, to protest the lack of Latino finalists for consideration for the Denver Public Schools (DPS) District 4 Board of Education (BOE) vacancy.  All but one of the nine finalists are African American, even though the majority of DPS students and families in Northeast and Far Northeast are Latino.

Legal resources

Ed: The ALCU turned down a suggestion I made, but they sent me this:

More information on status of Denver parks

Summary
Designation Status Acres Pct of System
Designated / Partial 3496 69%
Proposed 2013 470 9%
Candidate 645 13%
Not Eligible 427 8%
Total: 5039 100%

Part 3 - Walkabout - November 3, 2012 - Lowry Bombing Range - Old grain silo

Approaching an old grain silo still standing from when this was a working ranch.


Bullet holes from when this was silo was fired upon.


Inside view.

Open top from inside.


Part 2 - Walkabout - November 3, 2012 - Lowry Bombing Range - Oil/Gas Rig

Note figures at lower left for size comparison.
Made in the USA


Caution - Don't get hit in the head by this giant thing.
The red dots are existing wells east of Denver.
Here is a Denver Post story about these wells.
For those of you who want more information about this well.

Part 1 - Walkabout - November 3, 2012 - Lowry Bombing Range - Missile silo

I was working on an old building in Denver back in the late '70s when I was told that Denver's dump was at the Lowry Bombing Range. I thought it best to avoid taking anything there. Last November (2012) I had the opportunity to visit and walkabout that area on a guided tour by a gentleman who knew the history of that land, from before it became a missile site.

Top of missile silo
 
This is part of the cover over the missile which slid away before the missile was launched from the silo. It is about 3 feet thick.

My guide said that this missile program was never operational but was built to fool the Soviet Union.



Looks like someone has been trying to get into the silo.



This is an exhaust vent near the missile silo.

This is what is currently in the vent.

Additional references: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ9USFS3hoE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=yP_PwQJlXk0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=iRR_ql4gplA&NR=1

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Hentzell Park needs you

It is critical that as many Hentzell Park advocates as possible attend Mayor Michael B. Hancock’s “Cabinet in the Community” this Saturday morning at Harvey Park.

 The item in the "Your Hub" section of the Denver Post makes note that “Customer service and civic engagement are some of the mayor’s top priorities (and) we’re using these meetings to really connect community members to city government because we work for them” according to mayoral aide Michael Sapp.
Retaining Hentzell Park Natural Area is one of the most important issues facing the entire community and Mayor Hancock needs to hear that message as a major part of community engagement.  The community won’t be allowed to vote on Hentzell Park.  So Cabinet in the Community is an excellent opportunity for Denverites to exercise First Amendment rights and express dissatisfaction with the plan to give away nine acres of irreplaceable natural open space.
If you are inclined, holding a sign would be helpful.  Here are some suggested sign slogans:
     Save Our Open Parks Land
     Hentzell Today, Harvey Park Tomorrow
     Parks Are Not For Sale or Trade
     Save Our Urban Wildlife
     Critters Deserve a Voice
     Tax Dollars Support All Precious Parks
     Natural Areas Help Prevent Climate Change
     Children Need Natural Areas
And you can probably think of others.
Park advocates and protectors of wildlife need to confront the mayor with this extremely bad public policy.  This is as important as a City Council hearing.
Even thought the meeting doesn’t start officially until 9:00, it’s important to be there at 8:30.  Hancock will probably arrive right at 9:00 and leave as soon as possible.  If you don’t get to talk directly to Mayor Hancock, talk to his aides and cabinet appointees.
The Cabinet in the Community is at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy, 2250 South Quitman Street.


CIC Flyer-FINAL.jpg