Winner(s)

Congratulations to this young man! Further credit to the subject of his essay, Tom Selders.

I've written here, before, about watching the horrific raid at the meat plant as it happened. The events of that day were soul-wrenching, as were the days and weeks that followed. Many of those families are still reeling.

Not mentioned in the essay was the involvement of our DA in planning and executing the raid that exceeded the limits set forth in the warrants. That DA was Ken Buck, who now occupies the House seat vacated by Cory Gardner; and Buck has his own unsavory history with immigration issues. The city and county remain in the grip of Republicans, as does the congressional district.

That said, we continue to make our presence known. The GOP has 38% of the registered voters, independents and Dems split the remainder. If you have occasion to be in northern Colorado, especially Greeley, get in touch. If you're here when we're having one of our events, join us; we'll be pleased to introduce you to Tom Selders, he's one of us now.

Meanwhile, please use the link to read the essay. It really is well done and quite compelling.

http://www.jfklibrary.org/~/media/assets/Education%20and%20Public%20Programs/Essay%20Contest/2015%20Winning%20Essay%20by%20Matthew%20Waltman.pdf

Winner(s)

Congratulations to this young man! Further credit to the subject of his essay, Tom Selders.

I've written here, before, about watching the horrific raid at the meat plant as it happened. The events of that day were soul-wrenching, as were the days and weeks that followed. Many of those families are still reeling.

Not mentioned in the essay was the involvement of our DA in planning and executing the raid that exceeded the limits set forth in the warrants. That DA was Ken Buck, who now occupies the House seat vacated by Cory Gardner; and Buck has his own unsavory history with immigration issues. The city and county remain in the grip of Republicans, as does the congressional district.

That said, we continue to make our presence known. The GOP has 38% of the registered voters, independents and Dems split the remainder. If you have occasion to be in northern Colorado, especially Greeley, get in touch. If you're here when we're having one of our events, join us; we'll be pleased to introduce you to Tom Selders, he's one of us now.

Meanwhile, please use the link to read the essay. It really is well done and quite compelling.

http://www.jfklibrary.org/~/media/assets/Education%20and%20Public%20Programs/Essay%20Contest/2015%20Winning%20Essay%20by%20Matthew%20Waltman.pdf

All Aboard the Super-Friendly Ultrasound Bus!

Yes, this is how Colorado Senate Republicans are going about trying to force vaginal ultrasounds.



http://coloradopols.com/diary/70619/all-aboard-the-super-friendly-ultrasound-bus#sthash.hD9Ks9Jw.dpbs


Sometimes there are no words.

Freaking Out Over Fracking

..The conflicts aren't just in Colorado, as fracking creates boom towns in North Dakota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. It has pitted the the possibility of new wealth for states and their residents against fears about air and water pollution, increased traffic congestion and property rights. Among the anti-frackers, there is a division among those who believe fracking should be stopped until there is enough reliable data on the relatively new technology to show it's environmentally safe, those who say none of the oil and gas can come out of the ground for fear of exacerbating climate change and those who just don't want wells in their backyards.

In New York, communities in the state's Southern Tier, atop the Marcellus shale and next to fracking-rich Pennsylvania, are considering the extreme step of seceding from the state following Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration's move to ban fracking. In Maryland, state lawmakers passed legislation to block fracking for 2.5 years. Last year, California counties San Benito, Santa Cruz and Mendocino voted to keep the drilling method away. In November, residents of Denton, Texas, the state at the heart of America's oil and gas boom, passed a ballot measure banning it. Campaigners in Oklahoma are looking to handcuff would-be frackers after scientists there linked it to hundreds of small earthquakes.

All those fights have their roots in Colorado, where activists have scored a string of successes by getting towns to ban or limit fracking within their boundaries. The state's Supreme Court is weighing whether local governments have that power.
...
read more
www.washingtonexaminer.com/freaking-out-over-fracking/article/2563518#.VT5wwEAJMxY.facebook


------------------------------------------

This was hard to read because it's about my home. I know these people. I am among them. The place where I was born is being destroyed for greed. Our county commissioners and city councils dismiss our concerns as they point to the money that has purchased their awareness away from the increasingly unhealthy realities; they seem to think that poisoning the present won't make a toxic future. It is to weep, and we do.

Freaking Out Over Fracking

...The conflicts aren't just in Colorado, as fracking creates boom towns in North Dakota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and elsewhere. It has pitted the the possibility of new wealth for states and their residents against fears about air and water pollution, increased traffic congestion and property rights. Among the anti-frackers, there is a division among those who believe fracking should be stopped until there is enough reliable data on the relatively new technology to show it's environmentally safe, those who say none of the oil and gas can come out of the ground for fear of exacerbating climate change and those who just don't want wells in their backyards.

In New York, communities in the state's Southern Tier, atop the Marcellus shale and next to fracking-rich Pennsylvania, are considering the extreme step of seceding from the state following Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration's move to ban fracking. In Maryland, state lawmakers passed legislation to block fracking for 2.5 years. Last year, California counties San Benito, Santa Cruz and Mendocino voted to keep the drilling method away. In November, residents of Denton, Texas, the state at the heart of America's oil and gas boom, passed a ballot measure banning it. Campaigners in Oklahoma are looking to handcuff would-be frackers after scientists there linked it to hundreds of small earthquakes.

All those fights have their roots in Colorado, where activists have scored a string of successes by getting towns to ban or limit fracking within their boundaries. The state's Supreme Court is weighing whether local governments have that power.
...
read more
www.washingtonexaminer.com/freaking-out-over-fracking/article/2563518#.VT5wwEAJMxY.facebook


------------------------------------------

This was hard to read because it's about my home. I know these people. I am among them. The place where I was born is being destroyed for greed. Our county commissioners and city councils dismiss our concerns as they point to the money that has purchased their awareness away from the increasingly unhealthy realities; they seem to think that poisoning the present won't make a toxic future. It is to weep, and we do.

And the beat goes on . . .

Imagine the outrage

Greeley firefighters return to wastewater and injection well site, cleanup follows

Cleanup was underway on Saturday afternoon at the wastewater and injection well site northeast of the Greeley-Weld County Airport, where a lightning bolt struck a water storage tank Friday, causing a fire and series of explosions that shot tanks into the air. No employees or residents were injured during the blaze, but the four homes closest to the area were evacuated as a precaution.
...
Though they had gotten the fire out after five hours on Friday, and remained overnight to maintain control, firefighters returned to the site around 4 a.m. Saturday with three engines, two water tenders and a battalion chief when some flare-ups occurred. Fire crews had only been gone from the scene for about an hour before they turned back after the winds had kicked the fires back up...
...
...The boom from the lightning bolt struck so loud, students from Galeton Elementary five miles north of the site were shook out of their seats, a school official said Saturday.

...more at link, with more pics

http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/15964390-113/greeley-firefighters-return-to-wastewater-and-injection-well



And they keep telling us that fracking is safe.

Greeley firefighters return to wastewater and injection well site, cleanup follows

Cleanup was underway on Saturday afternoon at the wastewater and injection well site northeast of the Greeley-Weld County Airport, where a lightning bolt struck a water storage tank Friday, causing a fire and series of explosions that shot tanks into the air. No employees or residents were injured during the blaze, but the four homes closest to the area were evacuated as a precaution.
...
Though they had gotten the fire out after five hours on Friday, and remained overnight to maintain control, firefighters returned to the site around 4 a.m. Saturday with three engines, two water tenders and a battalion chief when some flare-ups occurred. Fire crews had only been gone from the scene for about an hour before they turned back after the winds had kicked the fires back up...
...
...The boom from the lightning bolt struck so loud, students from Galeton Elementary five miles north of the site were shook out of their seats, a school official said Saturday.

...more at link, with more pics

http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/15964390-113/greeley-firefighters-return-to-wastewater-and-injection-well



And they keep telling us that fracking is safe.

Posers