American politician and lawyer
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Hosted by bill ritter
3 episodes with bill ritter
2 episodes with bill ritter
3 episodes with bill ritter
2 episodes with bill ritter
2 episodes with bill ritter
2 episodes with bill ritter
Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat. You guys can sit down, too. (Laughter.) Let me begin by saying thank you to a few people -- first of all, your outstanding Governor, Bill Ritter. Please give Bill a big round of applause. (Applause.) Lieutenant Governor Barbara O'Brien. (Applause.) Secretary of State Bernie Buescher. (Applause.) Your outstanding Mayor, John Hickenlooper. (Applause.) Your new Senator, Michael Bennett. (Applause.) Your old senator, now my Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. (Applause.) Mark Udall is not here, but give him a round of applause anyway. (Applause.) One of the outstanding leaders who helped shepherd this process through in record time -- please give Max Baucus of Montana a big round of applause. Thank you, Max. (Applause.) To Secretary Federico Pena, one of my national co-chairs -- I would not be here if it were not for Federico. Thank you. (Applause.) To Representative Diana DeGette, who is a -- we are in her district. So, thank you so much. (Applause.) Representative Betsy Markey. (Applause.) Representative Jared Polis. (Applause.) Representative Ed Perlmutter. (Applause.) To all the other elected officials and outstanding leaders who are here. And to the whole Namaste family and Mr. Jones for outstanding work, congratulations. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) And to the best Vice President that we've had in a long time -- Joe Biden. (Applause.)It is great to be back in Denver. (Applause.) I was here last summer -- we had a good time -- (laughter) -- to accept the nomination of my party and to make a promise to people of all parties that I would do all that I could to give every American the chance to make of their lives what they will; to see their children climb higher than they did. And I'm back today to say that we have begun the difficult work of keeping that promise. We have begun the essential work of keeping the American Dream alive in our time. And that's why we're here today. (Applause.)Now, I don't want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems. Nor does it constitute all of what we're going to have to do to turn our economy around. But today does mark the beginning of the end -- the beginning of what we need to do to create jobs for Americans scrambling in the wake of layoffs; the beginning of what we need to do to provide relief for families worried they won't be able to pay next month's bills; the beginning of the first steps to set our economy on a firmer foundation, paving the way to long-term growth and prosperity.The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that I will sign today -- a plan that meets the principles I laid out in January -- is the most sweeping economic recovery package in our history. It's the product of broad consultation and the recipient of broad support -- from business leaders, unions, public interest groups, from the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, as well as the AFL-CIO. (Applause.) From Democrats and Republicans, mayors as well as governors. It's a rare thing in Washington for people with such diverse and different viewpoints to come together and support the same bill. And on behalf of our nation, I want to thank all of them for it, including your two outstanding Senators, Michael Bennett and Mark Udall, as well as all the members of your congressional delegation. They did an outstanding job and they deserve a big round of applause. (Applause.) I also want to thank Joe Biden for working behind the scenes from the very start to make this recovery act possible. I want to thank Speaker Pelosi and Harry Reid for acting so quickly and for proving that Congress could step up to this challenge. I have special thanks to Max Baucus, who's the Chairman of the Finance Committee. Without Max, none of this would have happened. He had to work overtime, and push his committee to work overtime. And I want to thank all the committee chairs and members of Congress for coming up with a plan that is both bold and balanced enough to meet the demands of this moment. The American people were looking to them for leadership, and that's what they provided.Now, what makes this recovery plan so important is not just that it will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years, including 60,000-plus here in Colorado. It's that we're putting Americans to work doing the work that America needs done –- (applause) -- in critical areas that have been neglected for too long; work that will bring real and lasting change for generations to come.Because we know we can't build our economic future on the transportation and information networks of the past, we are remaking the American landscape with the largest new investment in our nation's infrastructure since Eisenhower built an Interstate Highway System in the 1950s. (Applause.) Because of this investment, nearly 400,000 men and women will go to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, repairing our faulty dams and levees, bringing critical broadband connections to businesses and homes in nearly every community in America, upgrading mass transit, building high-speed rail lines that will improve travel and commerce throughout our nation.Because we know America can't out-compete the world tomorrow if our children are being out-educated today, we're making the largest investment in education in our nation's history. (Applause.) It's an investment that will create jobs building 21st century classrooms and libraries and labs for millions of children across America. It will provide funds to train a new generation of math and science teachers, while giving aid to states and school districts to stop teachers from being laid off and education programs from being cut. In a place like New York City, 14,000 teachers who were set to be let go may now be able to continue pursuing their critical mission. It's an investment that will create a new $2,500 annual tax credit to put the dream of a college degree within reach for middle-class families and make college affordable for 7 million students -- (applause) -- helping more of our sons and daughters aim higher, reach further, fulfill their God-given potential. (Applause.)Because we know that spiraling health care costs are crushing families and businesses alike, we're taking the most meaningful steps in years towards modernizing our health care system. It's an investment that will take the long overdue step of computerizing America's medical records to reduce the duplication and waste that costs billions of health care dollars, and medical errors that cost thousands of lives each year.Further, thanks to the actions we've taken, 7 million Americans who lost their health care along the way will continue to get the coverage they need, and roughly 20 million more Americans can breathe a little easier knowing that their health care won't be cut due to a state budget shortfall. And a historic commitment to wellness initiatives will keep millions of Americans from setting foot in the doctor's office in the first place -- because these are preventable diseases and we're going to invest in prevention. (Applause.)So taken together with the enactment earlier this month of a long-delayed law to extend health care to millions more children of working families -- (applause) -- we have done more in 30 days to advance the cause of health care reform than this country has done in an entire decade. And that's something we should be proud of. (Applause.)Because we know we can't power America's future on energy that's controlled by foreign dictators, we are taking big steps down the road to energy independence, laying the groundwork for new green energy economies that can create countless well-paying jobs. It's an investment that will double the amount of renewable energy produced over the next three years. Think about that -- double the amount of renewable energy in three years. (Applause.) Provide tax credits and loan guarantees to companies like Namaste, a company that will be expanding, instead of laying people off, as a result of the plan that I'm about to sign.And in the process, we will transform the way we use energy. Today, the electricity we use is carried along a grid of lines and wires that date back to Thomas Edison -- a grid that can't support the demands of this economy. This means we're using 19th and 20th century technologies to battle 21st century problems like climate change and energy security. It also means that places like North Dakota can -- that can produce a lot of wind energy can't deliver it to communities that want it, leading to a gap between how much clean energy we are using and how much we could be using.The investment we're making today will create a newer, smarter electric grid that will allow for broader use of alternative energy. We will build on the work that's being done in places like Boulder -- a community that's on its -- that's on pace to be the world's first Smart Grid city. (Applause.) This investment will place Smart Meters in homes to make our energy bills lower, make outages less likely, and make it easier to use clean energy. It's an investment that will save taxpayers over $1 billion by slashing energy costs in our federal buildings by 25 percent; save working families hundreds of dollars a year on their energy bills by weatherizing over 1 million homes. And it's an investment that takes the important first step towards a national transmission superhighway that will connect our cities to the windy plains of the Dakotas and the sunny deserts of the Southwest.Even beyond energy, from the National Institutes of Health to the National Science Foundation, this recovery act represents the biggest increase in basic research funding in the long history of America's noble endeavor to b
Rundown - Intro with Troubadour Dave Gunders - 00:35 "Tarred and Feathered" by Dave Gunders - 14:02 John Walsh in Craig's Lawyers' Lounge - 19:20 Craig's Lawyers' Lounge welcomes John Walsh, former US Attorney for District of Colorado under President Obama, who is now seeking the job of Denver DA in this year's election. Find out what makes this Stanford Law grad tick. https://www.walshfordenver.com/ Show begins with Troubadour Dave Gunders and host discussing dynamic guest, John Walsh and the remarkable $83.3 million dollar verdict in favor of E Jean Carroll against Donald J. Trump in US District Court in NYC. Opening dialogue addresses what happens next. Next, to honor the verdict against female abuser Trump, we play Tarred and Feathered, a funny song of revenge by Dave Gunders. Learn about John Walsh growing up in metro Denver and serving as a clerk in DC Circuit Court. Walsh went on to be an Assistant US Attorney in Los Angeles in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Once back in Denver, John Walsh has had successful law practices and raised his three kids in the Mile High City. The MAGA threat on US democracy and Rule of Law is reviewed. John Walsh worked hard to fight the Big Lie in the courts of Michigan during November and December 2020. Listen to how difficult and tense that litigation became. Find out about the big names that John Walsh has interacted with along the way. Adam Schiff, Joyce Vance, Preet Bharara, Elena Kagan, Ken Salazar, Bill Ritter, Norm Early, Beth McCann and Barack Obama get name dropped. The January 6 insurrection followed Trump's Big Lie and John Walsh wants folks to follow the ruling of renowned Reagan appointed federal Judge Lamberth who has sized up the effect of relentless MAGA propaganda. Lamberth wrote, “In my 37 years on the bench, I cannot recall a time when such meritless justifications of criminal activity have gone mainstream. I have been dismayed to see distortions and outright falsehoods seep into the public consciousness.” The MAGA threat to Rule of Law is thoroughly reviewed. Denver feels the impact of too many social and political problems, but remains one of the great cities in the world. This podcast is a love letter to Denver, even with her flaws, where John Walsh wants to be Chief Law Enforcement Officer. Size up would be Denver District Attorney, his personality and professional qualifications.
Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's race | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy bills | $11B in federal funds allocated for rural clean energy projects | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis commission meets in Flagstaff, AZ (WARNING: contains graphic descriptions of violence) | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs nation's first Right-to-Repair law | Violent Femmes perform their self-titled debut in Denver, Austin and Houston this week. Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE: Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's raceBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 15, 2023 4:00 AMAs ballots begin to hit mailboxes for Denver's June 6th runoff election, Johnston and Kelly Brough, the other top-two finisher in April's first round of voting - have rolled out a veritable smorgasbord of endorsement announcements.Former mayoral candidates Ean Thomas Tafoya, Terrance Roberts, Jim Walsh, Al Gardner and Leslie Herod all endorsed Mike Johnston. Rep Herod (who was my preferred choice for mayor) said “Having shared countless debate and forum stages with Mike over the past months, I know that he has the passion, commitment, and vision to tackle Denver's toughest problems. Mike and I share the value of public service, hard work, and doing right by our communities, and I am excited to work with him to deliver on our progressive vision for Denver.”Meanwhile, Brough, the former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce head who secured her spot in the runoff with just over 20% of the first-round vote, has picked up endorsements from Democratic state Sen. Chris Hansen as well as Thomas Wolf, an investment banker who campaigned on harsh anti-homelessness policies and received 1% of the vote for Mayor in April.Sen. Hansen said “Denver needs a proven executive — Kelly Brough is the leader we can trust to deliver results. It's going to take all of us to tackle Denver's biggest challenges, and I'm proud to join Kelly's team.”Brough also picked up endorsements from Democratic state Rep. Alex Valdez and former Tattered Cover CEO Kwame Spearman, both of whom entered the mayor's race but later withdrew. Brough and Johnston emerged from the crowded field of mayoral candidates after becoming by far the race's two best-funded candidates, each raising about $1MM in direct contributions and benefiting from millions more in outside super PAC expenditures from billionaires and real-estate interests.After a first round that featured a wide range of perspectives and ideologies, the runoff campaign has featured few stark disagreements on policy between the two candidates, both of whom are veteran figures in Colorado's centrist political establishment.Brough served as then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's chief of staff from 2006 to 2009, then led the conservative-leaning Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for 12 years before stepping down ahead of her mayoral run. Some of her top endorsers include former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, both Democrats.On Friday, she touted the endorsement of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of clergy and civil rights leaders in the city's Black community. Pastor Paul Burleson, the Alliance's vice president of political affairs, said that Brough's experience is key to her appeal.Brough has also picked up endorsements from the Denver Police Protective Association and other unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters. She was one of the only candidates in the mayor's race to endorse a return of “qualified immunity,” a legal doctrine that bars people from suing law enforcement officers in their individual capacity. Colorado lawmakers, led by Herod, passed a landmark police reform bill that abolished qualified immunity in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020. - Just one reason I love Leslie Herod.During his time in the state Senate, Mike Johnston became one of the state's leading champions of education reform, a movement that has galled teachers' unions and progressives who've accused him of undermining public education. From 2020 to 2022 he was the CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization founded by oil tycoon Sam Gary.Though hardly a progressive firebrand himself, Johnston spoke at Wednesday's event of the coalition he hopes to build as mayor. Along with former mayoral rivals, he received endorsements from Democratic state Sens. Julie Gonzales (another legislator I have tremendous respect for) and James Coleman (who is my state senator but someone whom I don't know much about), adding to a list of supporters that also includes former Mayor Federico Peña and former Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll.Rep. Leslie Herod said “Make no mistake: We are the progressives in this race, and we have chosen to back Mike. We are the candidates who have consistently spoken about putting people over structures, putting people over businesses — people always first.”So for my part I'll be following State Sen. Julie Gonzales and Rep. Leslie Herod, voting for Mike Johnston.Final thought: Johnston might not be seen as progressive, but if he wins this election assembling a progressive coalition to bear a developer/business-backed candidate in Kelly Brough, then progressives should absolutely have a strong voice in the Johnston administration if he wants to keep his job. But first he's got to win.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy measures, utility regulation billBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 11, 2023 5:36 PMGov. Jared Polis has signed into law a bill that commits Colorado for the first time to a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, along with other measures to address spiking utility rates and the state's long-term energy future.Flanked by Democratic lawmakers and state energy officials, Polis signed Senate Bill 23-16 at an event at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The bill, a wide-ranging package of reforms aimed at boosting clean energy efforts in a variety of industries, was approved on party-line votes by Democratic majorities in the General Assembly just before its adjournment on May 8.SB-16 sets a statutory goal of a 100% reduction in Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, revising that target upwards from a 90% goal set by the Legislature in 2019. It's the first time the state has formally established the net-zero goal that scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have said is necessary to avert the most catastrophic impacts of global warming.To get there, the bill contains what sponsors called a “potpourri” of measures to accelerate the transition to clean energy, including sections that streamline the process for the installation of electric transmission lines and rooftop solar panels; stricter requirements on large insurance companies to assess climate risk; tax credits for the purchase of electric-powered lawn equipment; and more authority for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to regulate carbon capture projects.COGCC chair Jeff Robbins applauded the bill's efforts to encourage carbon capture, which he called “critical as a tool in addressing climate change.”“The COGCC is well poised with its resources and regulatory understanding to now help carbon storage be deployed safely and responsibly in Colorado,” Robbins said in a press release.Gov. Polis also signed House Bill 23-1252, which establishes a new state grant program for geothermal energy projects and requires large natural-gas utilities to develop emissions-reducing “clean heat plans.”Senate Bill 23-291, a package of reforms to state utility regulations, and House Bill 23-1234, a bipartisan measure aimed at streamlining permitting and inspection processes for solar projects were also both signed into law. SB-291 emerged from hearings held earlier this year by the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates, a special panel of lawmakers convened by Democratic leaders following sharp increases in many Coloradans' utility bills in 2022.It directs the state's Public Utilities Commission to more closely scrutinize how privately-owned utilities manage volatility in natural-gas prices, the main culprit in rate increases that caused the average monthly payment for customers of Xcel Energy, Colorado's largest utility, to rise by more than 50% last year. Other provisions in the bill are aimed at assessing the long-term future of natural gas infrastructure as more homes and businesses transition to all-electric heating and cooking appliances.In a press release, Advanced Energy United, an industry group representing clean energy companies, said the legislation creates a “national model” for dealing with volatility in the natural gas market.“This bill will help make Colorado's energy system more affordable long-term, and should be seen as a model for states across the country on how to manage high gas prices and a transition to cost-saving alternatives to gas, like high-efficiency heat pumps, rooftop solar and battery storage,” said Emilie Olson, a senior principal at Advanced Energy United.House Bill 23-1272, creates or extends a variety of clean energy tax credits, including incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, e-bikes, electric heat pumps, industrial decarbonization technologies and more.Gov. Polis said “These exciting money-saving changes for Coloradans mean reliable, lower energy costs and good-paying jobs, as we continue to fuel the innovation that makes Colorado a national leader in clean energy. We are cutting red tape, creating good paying jobs and improving air quality as we continue to make bold progress towards achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040.”ARIZONA MIRROR: Rural electric co-ops to get $10.7B in USDA funds for clean energy grants, loansBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MAY 16, 2023 7:11 AMThe U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin to administer two loan and grant programs worth nearly $11 billion to boost clean energy systems in rural areas, administration officials said Tuesday. The programs are the New ERA program for rural electric cooperatives, and the PACE program for other energy providers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the funding “continues an ongoing effort to ensure that rural America is a full participant in this clean energy economy.”White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said, “Rural areas can have more difficulty than more urban ones in attracting private sector investment. The programs are intended to allow those rural areas to take advantage of an industry-wide trend to invest in clean energy production.He said, “There's a favorable wind blowing here. This allows rural communities to put up a sail.”The programs are meant to put rural electric cooperatives on equal footing with larger privately owned companies that have already put major funding into clean energy deployment.The programs represent the largest single funding effort for rural electrification since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act in 1936.The money is meant not only to address the climate impacts of fossil fuel energy and reduce home energy costs, but to act as an economic engine for rural areas.Rural electric cooperatives are eligible for the New ERA program, and up to 25% of the funding in that program can be in the form of direct grants. Utilities can use the money to build renewable energy systems, zero-emission systems and carbon capture facilities.The USDA will begin to accept initial applications for funding on July 31. Applicants are expected to write more detailed proposals for funding after the USDA accepts their initial applications.The PACE program provides loans to renewable energy developers and electric service providers “to help finance large-scale solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower projects and energy storage in support of renewable energy systems,” the release said. The program is targeted to “vulnerable, disadvantaged, Tribal and energy communities,” the release said. It's in line with a Biden administration goal to allocate at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal spending to disadvantaged communities.The USDA can forgive up to 40% of most of the loans in the program. Up to 60% of loans to applicants in some U.S. territories and tribal communities can be forgiven.Initial applications for that program will open June 30.ARIZONA MIRROR:National commission on the MMIP crisis meets in Arizona to hear testimony, recommendationsBY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MAY 15, 2023 1:50 PMFive empty chairs sat at the front of the Not Invisible Act Commission hearing, each wrapped in a shawl, blanket or quilt representing a different group of individuals impacted by human trafficking or with a loved one who is missing or murdered.“We want to allow space for representing our relatives,” commission member Grace Bulltail said, noting the traditions in many Indigenous families to always preserve a space for absent loved ones. “We're doing that to honor our loved ones,” Bulltail said, explaining that, by putting the chairs there, the commission hearing was holding space for them.The chair wrapped in a red shawl with white and yellow handprints honored the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The chair wrapped in a red, orange, bridge, and white Native design shawl with a black blazer draped over it was to honor the missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys. Another chair was wrapped in a light blue, white and purple quilt. Pinned to the quilt was a picture of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, a Navajo girl who was abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. This chair honored Indigenous children.The chair wrapped in a maroon shawl with floral designs honored the LGBTQI and two-spirit Indigenous community. The chair wrapped in a brown Pendleton honored Indigenous veterans.The Not Invisible Act Commission, organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior, held a public hearing at the Twin Arrows Casino near Flagstaff to hear testimony and recommendations from victims and families impacted by human trafficking and the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. The commission also heard from local tribal leaders and advocates. The Not Invisible Act was passed into law in October 2020, establishing the commission as a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee of federal and non-federal members, including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors.The meeting at Twin Arrows was the commission's third public hearing. This summer, it has four more planned in Minnesota, northern California, New Mexico and Montana. The hearings are being held in communities impacted most by the MMIP crisis.Commissioners heard emotional testimony from Seraphine Warren and Pamela Foster as they shared their experiences of losing a loved one and advocated for change.Ms. Warren is the niece of Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who went missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation on June 15, 2021. Warren continued to advocate for not only her aunt but all Indigenous people.Speaking through tears, she told her aunt's story. “I know it wasn't her legacy to be stolen or to be murdered,” Warren said. “Just because she isn't here doesn't mean she can't be part of change.”Begay is still missing, but there have been developments in her case. In March, Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for assault and carjacking.The indictment alleges that, on June 15, 2021, Tolth assaulted Begay, resulting in serious bodily injury, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Tolth then took her Ford F-150 pickup truck and drove it from Arizona to New Mexico with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to Begay.Warren said during Tolth's arraignment hearing on April 7 in Flagstaff that she heard details about the night her aunt went missing that she was not ready for.Warren, in tears, told the commission that Tolth told federal agents that he “snapped” and struck her in the face multiple times, causing her to bleed from the nose and mouth. Tolth told authorities that he wasn't sure if she was dead, Warren said, and when he drove away, he said he regretted hitting her, since all he wanted was the truck.Tolth is being held in custody and is expected to go to trial later in May.Pamela Foster is the mother of Ashlynne Mike, the 11-year-old Navajo girl abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. Foster has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts for Indigenous children and people since she lost her daughter. On the afternoon of May 2, 2016, Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother, Ian Mike, didn't make it home from school. When they got off the school bus in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, a predator tricked them into getting into his van by promising them a ride home.Hours later, passersby found Ian Mike wandering alone in the area. Police located Ashlynne Mike's body on May 3, 2016, and discovered she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and bludgeoned repeatedly with a tire iron.She said, “I miss my daughter every single day. I became a voice for my daughter the moment I received word that her life was taken from her.”She talked about how the system failed when her children were missing in 2016. She said that May 1 to May 6 is a nightmare for her every year, because she relives what happened to her children.Foster talked about the hours from when her children disappeared to when they found her daughter's body; she ran into countless obstacles that left her without support.“It was very hard to sit there and know that there were no resources available for my children,” Foster said. “I absolutely had nothing.”She said local law enforcement was not adequately trained to handle child abductions. There was no clear communication between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Instead of searching for her children, Foster said they were trying to figure out exactly what protocols were needed to start looking.“Time was lost,” Foster said, and they did not send out an AMBER Alert until the following day. Foster recalled the alert went out at 2 a.m., and she said that helped no one because not many people were awake then. She remembers hearing officers from the neighboring jurisdictions tell her they couldn't go out to look for her daughter until they were given the clearance to do so by the Navajo Nation Police Department. Foster said it frustrated her how long it took for that to happen. She said the anger and hurt about what happened to Ashlynne led her to be a voice for her daughter.“I promised her I would do something for all of our other Indigenous children. To give them the protection that they need so they don't go through the same thing.”Foster has led many grassroots efforts to support Indigenous children, including advocating and petitioning for the AMBER Alert system to include Indian Country.Foster said she wanted to change, and she knew the justice system in Indian Country needed to be updated, so she focused her efforts on the AMBER Alert system. Her advocacy resulted in the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which makes tribes eligible for AMBER Alert grants to integrate into state and regional AMBER Alert communication plans.“I always say that I've never received justice for what happened to my daughter because nothing can bring her back,” Foster said. “There will never be justice, but we can learn how to move forward in changing laws to make things better for our people.”The goal of the hearing was for the federal commissioners to listen and hear recommendations on the best course of action for the MMIP crisis. Commissioners will use the suggestions to develop their final report for the Department of Interior.Foster's big recommendation was not only geared at the commissioners, but other attendees of the hearing. She encouraged them to tell their tribal leaders to receive the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act training. “It is free,” she said, adding that it is a vital program for Indigenous communities because it will train police officers and social workers from the tribe. Because tribes are sovereign nations, the Department of Justice has to receive a request in order to run the training on tribal land: “Have your tribal leaders request this training for your community because the children are our next generation,” Foster said. “There's still a lot of tribes that need to be trained.”When Seraphine Warren was finished sharing her aunt's story, she laid out her recommendations. “Transparency and swift action is key,” she said, “which means that when a person is missing, law enforcement should immediately inform all jurisdictions and issue press releases to media channels to inform the public.”“Family members need to be regularly and constantly updated with the progress of the investigation, and families should be prioritized if any remains are found in any jurisdiction.” Some of the other recommendations included allowing families to hire private investigators, providing them access to case files, supporting families in organizing their task force, providing families with constant and reliable access to grief counseling services, medical attention, financial and legal assistance, and safe housing for families of missing or murdered loved ones. ASSOCIATED PRESS: If you're not first, you're last. DENVER (AP) — Sitting in front of a hulking red tractor, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Tuesday making Colorado the first state to ensure farmers can fix their own tractors and combines with a “right to repair” law — which compels manufacturers to provide the necessary manuals, tools, parts and software farmers would need.Colorado, home to high desert ranches and sweeping farms on the plains, took the lead on the issue following a nationwide outcry from farmers that manufacturers blocked them from making fixes and forced them to wait precious days or even weeks for an official servicer to arrive — delays that hurt profits.While farmers wait and their increasingly high-tech tractors or combines sit idle, a hailstorm could decimate an entire crop. Or, a farmer could miss the ideal planting window for their crops to grow.Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont. But Colorado has taken the lead. At the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon, under a light drizzle of rain, Gov. Polis said: “This bill will save farmers and ranchers time and money and support the free market in repair” before exclaiming, “first in the nation!”Behind the governor and arrayed farmers and lawmakers sat a red Steiger 370 tractor owned by a farmer named Danny Wood. Wood's tractor has flown an American flag reading “Farmers First,” and it has been one of two of his machines to break down, requiring long waits before servicers arrived to enter a few lines of computer code, or make a fix that Wood could have made himself.As the signing ceremony ended, Gov. Polis and Rep. Brianna Titone, who ran the bill in the state House, climbed inside the tractor for a photo as the ceremony ended.Great job, Rep. Titone! Huge win for this up-and-coming legislator. When I first saw her speak announcing her initial candidacy in 2017, I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I didn't expect a lot, and I didn't particularly expect her to even win. And then, winning that seat was just the first of many instances where I've seen her demonstrate a level of depth, grit, and smarts that rival any of her peers. Great job Rep. Titone, you rock. CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Violent Femmes - performing their self-titled album - Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Sunday May 21. The cult favorite folk punk band from Milwaukee is celebrating 40 years since the release of their first album in 1983. More info at vfemmes.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, Associated Press and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.
Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's race | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy bills | $11B in federal funds allocated for rural clean energy projects | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis commission meets in Flagstaff, AZ (WARNING: contains graphic descriptions of violence) | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs nation's first Right-to-Repair law | Violent Femmes perform their self-titled debut in Denver, Austin and Houston this week. Song playsIntro by hostWelcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod's Talking Politics, every Monday.Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.Alright! Let's get into it: COLORADO NEWSLINE: Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor's raceBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 15, 2023 4:00 AMAs ballots begin to hit mailboxes for Denver's June 6th runoff election, Johnston and Kelly Brough, the other top-two finisher in April's first round of voting - have rolled out a veritable smorgasbord of endorsement announcements.Former mayoral candidates Ean Thomas Tafoya, Terrance Roberts, Jim Walsh, Al Gardner and Leslie Herod all endorsed Mike Johnston. Rep Herod (who was my preferred choice for mayor) said “Having shared countless debate and forum stages with Mike over the past months, I know that he has the passion, commitment, and vision to tackle Denver's toughest problems. Mike and I share the value of public service, hard work, and doing right by our communities, and I am excited to work with him to deliver on our progressive vision for Denver.”Meanwhile, Brough, the former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce head who secured her spot in the runoff with just over 20% of the first-round vote, has picked up endorsements from Democratic state Sen. Chris Hansen as well as Thomas Wolf, an investment banker who campaigned on harsh anti-homelessness policies and received 1% of the vote for Mayor in April.Sen. Hansen said “Denver needs a proven executive — Kelly Brough is the leader we can trust to deliver results. It's going to take all of us to tackle Denver's biggest challenges, and I'm proud to join Kelly's team.”Brough also picked up endorsements from Democratic state Rep. Alex Valdez and former Tattered Cover CEO Kwame Spearman, both of whom entered the mayor's race but later withdrew. Brough and Johnston emerged from the crowded field of mayoral candidates after becoming by far the race's two best-funded candidates, each raising about $1MM in direct contributions and benefiting from millions more in outside super PAC expenditures from billionaires and real-estate interests.After a first round that featured a wide range of perspectives and ideologies, the runoff campaign has featured few stark disagreements on policy between the two candidates, both of whom are veteran figures in Colorado's centrist political establishment.Brough served as then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's chief of staff from 2006 to 2009, then led the conservative-leaning Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for 12 years before stepping down ahead of her mayoral run. Some of her top endorsers include former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, both Democrats.On Friday, she touted the endorsement of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of clergy and civil rights leaders in the city's Black community. Pastor Paul Burleson, the Alliance's vice president of political affairs, said that Brough's experience is key to her appeal.Brough has also picked up endorsements from the Denver Police Protective Association and other unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters. She was one of the only candidates in the mayor's race to endorse a return of “qualified immunity,” a legal doctrine that bars people from suing law enforcement officers in their individual capacity. Colorado lawmakers, led by Herod, passed a landmark police reform bill that abolished qualified immunity in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020. - Just one reason I love Leslie Herod.During his time in the state Senate, Mike Johnston became one of the state's leading champions of education reform, a movement that has galled teachers' unions and progressives who've accused him of undermining public education. From 2020 to 2022 he was the CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization founded by oil tycoon Sam Gary.Though hardly a progressive firebrand himself, Johnston spoke at Wednesday's event of the coalition he hopes to build as mayor. Along with former mayoral rivals, he received endorsements from Democratic state Sens. Julie Gonzales (another legislator I have tremendous respect for) and James Coleman (who is my state senator but someone whom I don't know much about), adding to a list of supporters that also includes former Mayor Federico Peña and former Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll.Rep. Leslie Herod said “Make no mistake: We are the progressives in this race, and we have chosen to back Mike. We are the candidates who have consistently spoken about putting people over structures, putting people over businesses — people always first.”So for my part I'll be following State Sen. Julie Gonzales and Rep. Leslie Herod, voting for Mike Johnston.Final thought: Johnston might not be seen as progressive, but if he wins this election assembling a progressive coalition to bear a developer/business-backed candidate in Kelly Brough, then progressives should absolutely have a strong voice in the Johnston administration if he wants to keep his job. But first he's got to win.COLORADO NEWSLINE: Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy measures, utility regulation billBY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 11, 2023 5:36 PMGov. Jared Polis has signed into law a bill that commits Colorado for the first time to a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, along with other measures to address spiking utility rates and the state's long-term energy future.Flanked by Democratic lawmakers and state energy officials, Polis signed Senate Bill 23-16 at an event at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The bill, a wide-ranging package of reforms aimed at boosting clean energy efforts in a variety of industries, was approved on party-line votes by Democratic majorities in the General Assembly just before its adjournment on May 8.SB-16 sets a statutory goal of a 100% reduction in Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, revising that target upwards from a 90% goal set by the Legislature in 2019. It's the first time the state has formally established the net-zero goal that scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have said is necessary to avert the most catastrophic impacts of global warming.To get there, the bill contains what sponsors called a “potpourri” of measures to accelerate the transition to clean energy, including sections that streamline the process for the installation of electric transmission lines and rooftop solar panels; stricter requirements on large insurance companies to assess climate risk; tax credits for the purchase of electric-powered lawn equipment; and more authority for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to regulate carbon capture projects.COGCC chair Jeff Robbins applauded the bill's efforts to encourage carbon capture, which he called “critical as a tool in addressing climate change.”“The COGCC is well poised with its resources and regulatory understanding to now help carbon storage be deployed safely and responsibly in Colorado,” Robbins said in a press release.Gov. Polis also signed House Bill 23-1252, which establishes a new state grant program for geothermal energy projects and requires large natural-gas utilities to develop emissions-reducing “clean heat plans.”Senate Bill 23-291, a package of reforms to state utility regulations, and House Bill 23-1234, a bipartisan measure aimed at streamlining permitting and inspection processes for solar projects were also both signed into law. SB-291 emerged from hearings held earlier this year by the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates, a special panel of lawmakers convened by Democratic leaders following sharp increases in many Coloradans' utility bills in 2022.It directs the state's Public Utilities Commission to more closely scrutinize how privately-owned utilities manage volatility in natural-gas prices, the main culprit in rate increases that caused the average monthly payment for customers of Xcel Energy, Colorado's largest utility, to rise by more than 50% last year. Other provisions in the bill are aimed at assessing the long-term future of natural gas infrastructure as more homes and businesses transition to all-electric heating and cooking appliances.In a press release, Advanced Energy United, an industry group representing clean energy companies, said the legislation creates a “national model” for dealing with volatility in the natural gas market.“This bill will help make Colorado's energy system more affordable long-term, and should be seen as a model for states across the country on how to manage high gas prices and a transition to cost-saving alternatives to gas, like high-efficiency heat pumps, rooftop solar and battery storage,” said Emilie Olson, a senior principal at Advanced Energy United.House Bill 23-1272, creates or extends a variety of clean energy tax credits, including incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, e-bikes, electric heat pumps, industrial decarbonization technologies and more.Gov. Polis said “These exciting money-saving changes for Coloradans mean reliable, lower energy costs and good-paying jobs, as we continue to fuel the innovation that makes Colorado a national leader in clean energy. We are cutting red tape, creating good paying jobs and improving air quality as we continue to make bold progress towards achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040.”ARIZONA MIRROR: Rural electric co-ops to get $10.7B in USDA funds for clean energy grants, loansBY: JACOB FISCHLER - MAY 16, 2023 7:11 AMThe U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin to administer two loan and grant programs worth nearly $11 billion to boost clean energy systems in rural areas, administration officials said Tuesday. The programs are the New ERA program for rural electric cooperatives, and the PACE program for other energy providers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the funding “continues an ongoing effort to ensure that rural America is a full participant in this clean energy economy.”White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said, “Rural areas can have more difficulty than more urban ones in attracting private sector investment. The programs are intended to allow those rural areas to take advantage of an industry-wide trend to invest in clean energy production.He said, “There's a favorable wind blowing here. This allows rural communities to put up a sail.”The programs are meant to put rural electric cooperatives on equal footing with larger privately owned companies that have already put major funding into clean energy deployment.The programs represent the largest single funding effort for rural electrification since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act in 1936.The money is meant not only to address the climate impacts of fossil fuel energy and reduce home energy costs, but to act as an economic engine for rural areas.Rural electric cooperatives are eligible for the New ERA program, and up to 25% of the funding in that program can be in the form of direct grants. Utilities can use the money to build renewable energy systems, zero-emission systems and carbon capture facilities.The USDA will begin to accept initial applications for funding on July 31. Applicants are expected to write more detailed proposals for funding after the USDA accepts their initial applications.The PACE program provides loans to renewable energy developers and electric service providers “to help finance large-scale solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower projects and energy storage in support of renewable energy systems,” the release said. The program is targeted to “vulnerable, disadvantaged, Tribal and energy communities,” the release said. It's in line with a Biden administration goal to allocate at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal spending to disadvantaged communities.The USDA can forgive up to 40% of most of the loans in the program. Up to 60% of loans to applicants in some U.S. territories and tribal communities can be forgiven.Initial applications for that program will open June 30.ARIZONA MIRROR:National commission on the MMIP crisis meets in Arizona to hear testimony, recommendationsBY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MAY 15, 2023 1:50 PMFive empty chairs sat at the front of the Not Invisible Act Commission hearing, each wrapped in a shawl, blanket or quilt representing a different group of individuals impacted by human trafficking or with a loved one who is missing or murdered.“We want to allow space for representing our relatives,” commission member Grace Bulltail said, noting the traditions in many Indigenous families to always preserve a space for absent loved ones. “We're doing that to honor our loved ones,” Bulltail said, explaining that, by putting the chairs there, the commission hearing was holding space for them.The chair wrapped in a red shawl with white and yellow handprints honored the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The chair wrapped in a red, orange, bridge, and white Native design shawl with a black blazer draped over it was to honor the missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys. Another chair was wrapped in a light blue, white and purple quilt. Pinned to the quilt was a picture of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, a Navajo girl who was abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. This chair honored Indigenous children.The chair wrapped in a maroon shawl with floral designs honored the LGBTQI and two-spirit Indigenous community. The chair wrapped in a brown Pendleton honored Indigenous veterans.The Not Invisible Act Commission, organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior, held a public hearing at the Twin Arrows Casino near Flagstaff to hear testimony and recommendations from victims and families impacted by human trafficking and the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. The commission also heard from local tribal leaders and advocates. The Not Invisible Act was passed into law in October 2020, establishing the commission as a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee of federal and non-federal members, including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors.The meeting at Twin Arrows was the commission's third public hearing. This summer, it has four more planned in Minnesota, northern California, New Mexico and Montana. The hearings are being held in communities impacted most by the MMIP crisis.Commissioners heard emotional testimony from Seraphine Warren and Pamela Foster as they shared their experiences of losing a loved one and advocated for change.Ms. Warren is the niece of Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who went missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation on June 15, 2021. Warren continued to advocate for not only her aunt but all Indigenous people.Speaking through tears, she told her aunt's story. “I know it wasn't her legacy to be stolen or to be murdered,” Warren said. “Just because she isn't here doesn't mean she can't be part of change.”Begay is still missing, but there have been developments in her case. In March, Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for assault and carjacking.The indictment alleges that, on June 15, 2021, Tolth assaulted Begay, resulting in serious bodily injury, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Tolth then took her Ford F-150 pickup truck and drove it from Arizona to New Mexico with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to Begay.Warren said during Tolth's arraignment hearing on April 7 in Flagstaff that she heard details about the night her aunt went missing that she was not ready for.Warren, in tears, told the commission that Tolth told federal agents that he “snapped” and struck her in the face multiple times, causing her to bleed from the nose and mouth. Tolth told authorities that he wasn't sure if she was dead, Warren said, and when he drove away, he said he regretted hitting her, since all he wanted was the truck.Tolth is being held in custody and is expected to go to trial later in May.Pamela Foster is the mother of Ashlynne Mike, the 11-year-old Navajo girl abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. Foster has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts for Indigenous children and people since she lost her daughter. On the afternoon of May 2, 2016, Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother, Ian Mike, didn't make it home from school. When they got off the school bus in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, a predator tricked them into getting into his van by promising them a ride home.Hours later, passersby found Ian Mike wandering alone in the area. Police located Ashlynne Mike's body on May 3, 2016, and discovered she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and bludgeoned repeatedly with a tire iron.She said, “I miss my daughter every single day. I became a voice for my daughter the moment I received word that her life was taken from her.”She talked about how the system failed when her children were missing in 2016. She said that May 1 to May 6 is a nightmare for her every year, because she relives what happened to her children.Foster talked about the hours from when her children disappeared to when they found her daughter's body; she ran into countless obstacles that left her without support.“It was very hard to sit there and know that there were no resources available for my children,” Foster said. “I absolutely had nothing.”She said local law enforcement was not adequately trained to handle child abductions. There was no clear communication between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Instead of searching for her children, Foster said they were trying to figure out exactly what protocols were needed to start looking.“Time was lost,” Foster said, and they did not send out an AMBER Alert until the following day. Foster recalled the alert went out at 2 a.m., and she said that helped no one because not many people were awake then. She remembers hearing officers from the neighboring jurisdictions tell her they couldn't go out to look for her daughter until they were given the clearance to do so by the Navajo Nation Police Department. Foster said it frustrated her how long it took for that to happen. She said the anger and hurt about what happened to Ashlynne led her to be a voice for her daughter.“I promised her I would do something for all of our other Indigenous children. To give them the protection that they need so they don't go through the same thing.”Foster has led many grassroots efforts to support Indigenous children, including advocating and petitioning for the AMBER Alert system to include Indian Country.Foster said she wanted to change, and she knew the justice system in Indian Country needed to be updated, so she focused her efforts on the AMBER Alert system. Her advocacy resulted in the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which makes tribes eligible for AMBER Alert grants to integrate into state and regional AMBER Alert communication plans.“I always say that I've never received justice for what happened to my daughter because nothing can bring her back,” Foster said. “There will never be justice, but we can learn how to move forward in changing laws to make things better for our people.”The goal of the hearing was for the federal commissioners to listen and hear recommendations on the best course of action for the MMIP crisis. Commissioners will use the suggestions to develop their final report for the Department of Interior.Foster's big recommendation was not only geared at the commissioners, but other attendees of the hearing. She encouraged them to tell their tribal leaders to receive the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act training. “It is free,” she said, adding that it is a vital program for Indigenous communities because it will train police officers and social workers from the tribe. Because tribes are sovereign nations, the Department of Justice has to receive a request in order to run the training on tribal land: “Have your tribal leaders request this training for your community because the children are our next generation,” Foster said. “There's still a lot of tribes that need to be trained.”When Seraphine Warren was finished sharing her aunt's story, she laid out her recommendations. “Transparency and swift action is key,” she said, “which means that when a person is missing, law enforcement should immediately inform all jurisdictions and issue press releases to media channels to inform the public.”“Family members need to be regularly and constantly updated with the progress of the investigation, and families should be prioritized if any remains are found in any jurisdiction.” Some of the other recommendations included allowing families to hire private investigators, providing them access to case files, supporting families in organizing their task force, providing families with constant and reliable access to grief counseling services, medical attention, financial and legal assistance, and safe housing for families of missing or murdered loved ones. ASSOCIATED PRESS: If you're not first, you're last. DENVER (AP) — Sitting in front of a hulking red tractor, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Tuesday making Colorado the first state to ensure farmers can fix their own tractors and combines with a “right to repair” law — which compels manufacturers to provide the necessary manuals, tools, parts and software farmers would need.Colorado, home to high desert ranches and sweeping farms on the plains, took the lead on the issue following a nationwide outcry from farmers that manufacturers blocked them from making fixes and forced them to wait precious days or even weeks for an official servicer to arrive — delays that hurt profits.While farmers wait and their increasingly high-tech tractors or combines sit idle, a hailstorm could decimate an entire crop. Or, a farmer could miss the ideal planting window for their crops to grow.Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont. But Colorado has taken the lead. At the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon, under a light drizzle of rain, Gov. Polis said: “This bill will save farmers and ranchers time and money and support the free market in repair” before exclaiming, “first in the nation!”Behind the governor and arrayed farmers and lawmakers sat a red Steiger 370 tractor owned by a farmer named Danny Wood. Wood's tractor has flown an American flag reading “Farmers First,” and it has been one of two of his machines to break down, requiring long waits before servicers arrived to enter a few lines of computer code, or make a fix that Wood could have made himself.As the signing ceremony ended, Gov. Polis and Rep. Brianna Titone, who ran the bill in the state House, climbed inside the tractor for a photo as the ceremony ended.Great job, Rep. Titone! Huge win for this up-and-coming legislator. When I first saw her speak announcing her initial candidacy in 2017, I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I didn't expect a lot, and I didn't particularly expect her to even win. And then, winning that seat was just the first of many instances where I've seen her demonstrate a level of depth, grit, and smarts that rival any of her peers. Great job Rep. Titone, you rock. CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Violent Femmes - performing their self-titled album - Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Sunday May 21. The cult favorite folk punk band from Milwaukee is celebrating 40 years since the release of their first album in 1983. More info at vfemmes.comWelp, that's it for me! From Denver I'm Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today's show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, Associated Press and Denver's Westword.Thank you for listening! See you next time.
May 29, 2008 Update: With the ACLU's tacit support, on May 29, 2008 Governor Bill Ritter signed Colorado's censorship Bill. See: - the full text of the bill below, or - this official pdf from leg.state.co.us produce by Colorado Legislative Services, or - on the state's official online (but absurdly difficult to navigate) Colorado Revised Statues, 24-34-701, or - see a simple jpg screen shot of section 701. C.R.S. 24-34-701 states: "Publishing of discriminative matter forbidden. No person... shall publish... any communication... of any kind... intended... to discriminate... against... sexual orientation [or] marital status [i.e., cohabitation]." Thus Colorado has a censorship bill against the teaching of traditional Christian morality. Bob Enyart has predicted that the state will not even attempt to enforce this statute until it's been on the books for a long time and until it finds an especially unsympathetic defendant to persecute. * Colorado Senate Bill 200: Focus on the Family described this as a bathroom bill that would allow men into women's restrooms. Bob Enyart Live has warned, sadly as lone of the few voices, that SB 200 doesn't just mess with public restrooms, and that such a caricature misses the danger. When Governor Bill Ritter signed SB 200, Colorado enacted into law the foundation for America's most far-reaching, hostile homosexual attack on Christians. Endorsed by the beautiful people, in the name of tolerance and diversity, C.R.S. 24-34-701 outlaws the diversity and free speech (of Bible-believers) and outlaws tolerance (of evangelicals). Read and be stunned at the hatred and intolerance of the homosexual activists: COLORADO SENATE BILL 08-200 CONCERNING THE EXPANSION OF PROHIBITIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that nothing in this act is intended to impede or otherwise limit the protections contained in section 4 of article II of the state constitution concerning the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship. [Yeah, right.] SECTION 2. 24-34-301, Colorado Revised Statutes Definitions. (7) "SEXUAL ORIENTATION" MEANS A PERSON'S ORIENTATION TOWARD HETEROSEXUALITY, HOMOSEXUALITY, BISEXUALITY, OR TRANSGENDER STATUS OR ANOTHER PERSON'S PERCEPTION THEREOF. SECTION 4. 24-34-501 Colorado Revised Statutes Definitions. "Person" [means] any owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, employee, or any agent of a person... SECTION 5. 24-34-502. Unfair housing practices prohibited. (1) It shall be an unfair housing practice and unlawful and hereby prohibited: (a) For any person to refuse to show, sell, transfer, rent, or lease, or to refuse to receive and transmit any bona fide offer to buy, sell, rent, or lease, or otherwise make unavailable or deny or withhold from any person such housing because of ... SEXUAL ORIENTATION, marital status... SECTION 6. 24-34-601. Discrimination in places of public accommodation. ... (1) "place of public accommodation" means any place of business engaged in any sales to the public and any place offering services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to the public... "PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION" SHALL NOT INCLUDE A CHURCH, SYNAGOGUE, MOSQUE, OR OTHER PLACE THAT IS PRINCIPALLY USED FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. (2) It is a discriminatory practice and unlawful for a person, directly or indirectly, to refuse, withhold from, or deny to an individual or a group, because of... SEXUAL ORIENTATION, marital status... the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation or, directly or indirectly, to publish, circulate, issue, display, post, or mail any written, ELECTRONIC, or printed communication, notice, or advertisement THAT indicates that the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation will be refused, withheld from, or denied an individual or that an individual's patronage or presence at a place of public accommodation is unwelcome, objectionable, unacceptable, or undesirable because of... SEXUAL ORIENTATION, marital status... SECTION 7. 24-34-602. Penalty and civil liability. (1) Any person who violates any of the provisions of section 24-34-601 ...by aiding or inciting such denial, for every such offense, shall forfeit and pay a sum of not... nor more than five hundred dollars to the person aggrieved... and also (2) ... THE person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not... nor more than three hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both... SECTION 8. 24-34-701. Publishing of discriminative matter forbidden. No person, being the owner, lessee, proprietor, manager, superintendent, agent, or employee of any place of public accommodation... shall publish, issue, circulate, send, distribute, give away, or display in any way, manner, or shape or by any means or method, except as provided in this section, any communication, paper, poster, folder, manuscript, book, pamphlet, writing, print, letter, notice, or advertisement of any kind, nature, or description THAT is intended or calculated to discriminate or actually discriminates against... SEXUAL ORIENTATION, marital status... in the matter of furnishing or neglecting or refusing to furnish to them or any one of them any lodging, housing, schooling, or tuition or any accommodation, right [marriage], privilege [adoption], advantage, or convenience... on account of... SEXUAL ORIENTATION, marital status... [which] is unwelcome or objectionable or not acceptable, desired, or solicited. SECTION 21. Colorado Revised Statutes 22-30.5-104. Charter school - requirements - authority. (3) A charter school shall be subject to... provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of... SEXUAL ORIENTATION... SECTION 23. Colorado Revised Statutes 22-32-109. Board of education - specific duties. ... (ll) TO ADOPT WRITTEN POLICIES SPECIFYING THAT: (I) THE SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT ARE SUBJECT TO... PROVISIONS PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF... SEXUAL ORIENTATION... SECTION 36. Colorado Revised Statutes 39-22-304. Net income of corporation. (2) There shall be added to federal taxable income... (e) (I) Any expenses incurred by a taxpayer... at... a club... which has a policy to restrict membership on the basis of sex, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, MARITAL STATUS... CREED, religion... ____________________________ ____________________________ Peter C. Groff Andrew Romanoff PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ Bill Ritter, Jr. GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO * Illegal BEL Flyer: Bob has been distributing this illegal Christian flyer including at Denver's People's Fair and at the Colorado State Capitol giving copies of the contraband to Governor Bill Ritter's staff and to officials with the Colorado State Police. * American RTL Press Release: ARTL publicly offers $10,000 cash to National RTL to name a single pro-life Justice currently sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court. Their press release making that offer appears in more than fifty media outlets and ministry sites including Yahoo, Denver Post, Covenant News, ALL.org, ProLifeAmerica.com, CNBC, etc. * Please Help Bob with a Personhood Project: If you can, please volunteer to help Bob on one of these projects: - Team131: if you're able to spend at least five hours at your PC helping with a vital online project! - Travel: if you can travel outside the state, for a few days and cover your own expenses, Bob is leading a team on a very important out-of-state mission in support of Colorado's personhood amendment effort! Would you like to go? Today's Resources: By subscribing to the Monthly Sermons resource, every month the U.S. Mail will deliver Bob's sermons to your door. Also, you can consider subscribing to the BEL Televised Classics on DVD (to see the educational and often hilarious, and sometimes intense, episodes from Bob's nationally syndicated TV show). And you can subscribe to our monthly Bible Study Albums, or our monthly topical Videos! In fact, you could also sign up to donate monthly to BEL. These resource subscriptions will help you grow spiritually and intellectually! So many have reported that the biblical knowledge they gain from these resources is so practical that it has helped them improve: their marriages and other relationships, parenting and grand-parenting, work relationships, evangelizing, and so many general life skills! And of course, subscribing to one or more of these services will not only help you, at the same time you will be helping KGOV continue to reach more people with our biblically-based worldview!
In this week's episode, host Kristin Hayes talks with Katie McGinty and Jim Connaughton about how to accelerate the permitting process for clean energy projects. McGinty is vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls, and Connaughton is chair of Nautilus Data Technologies and a member of the board of directors at Resources for the Future. McGinty and Connaughton discuss why project delays are a central challenge in the clean energy transition, how clean energy projects can support environmental justice communities, and the types of permitting reforms that can help deploy funding for clean energy that's available through recent laws such as the Inflation Reduction Act. References and recommendations: “Building Cleaner, Faster: Creating Permitting Systems that Enable Decarbonization Infrastructure Deployment” from the Aspen Institute, by James L. Connaughton, Katie McGinty, Brent Alderfer, Roger Ballentine, Donnel Baird, Dan Esty, Roger Martella, Manisha Patel, Nancy Pfund, Rich Powell, Bill Ritter, Emily Schapira, and Michael Skelly; https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/building-cleaner-faster-report/ “Termination Shock” by Neal Stephenson; https://www.harpercollins.com/products/termination-shock-neal-stephenson Princeton faculty member Jesse Jenkins; https://cpree.princeton.edu/people/jesse-jenkins Donnel Baird and BlocPower; https://www.blocpower.io/
Experts Only Podcast is back for Season 2! Welcome Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., the 41st Governor of Colorado, who served from 2007 to 2011. He founded and now leads the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. Governor Ritter and our host Jon Powers discuss the way policy and markets emerge, and the work they're doing to help create the environment for the clean energy industry to thrive. Thanks for tuning in!
Barrow Co School Board Chair and candidate for Ga House in special election in District 119
Rundown - Mitch Morrissey in Craig's Lawyers' Lounge (Part 1) - 05:16 Mitch Morrissey in Craig's Lawyers' Lounge (Part 2) - 01:13:12 Troubadour Dave Gunders - 03:05:42 "A Sun Still Shining" by Dave Gunders - 03:13:29 Mitch Morrissey was elected District Attorney of Denver, Colorado for three terms from 2005-2017. Before that, he was a Denver prosecutor for decades. Craig Silverman was his supervising and training Chief Deputy DA in Denver District Courtroom 13. Stan Garnett was the other assigned Deputy DA. Stan Garnett went on to be Boulder DA. Mitch became Denver DA. Former Denver DA (and future Governor) Bill Ritter compelled Mitch Morrissey to become the lead DNA prosecutor on the JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation. Poor JonBenet was brutalized in her own Boulder home on Christmas of 1996. Morrissey was in the grand jury room where it happened. A Boulder grand jury voted to charge parents John and Patsy Ramsey but Boulder DA Alex Hunter still would not prosecute. Did Alex Hunter make the right decision? Mitch Morrissey reveals his input and the true impact of the DNA evidence in this case. Who killed JonBenet? And why? John Ramsey, her father, just did a fascinating interview with Megyn Kelly. He explains how he has written to Governor Jared Polis demanding that a reputable DNA lab work on solving the crime against his daughter. This show highlights the contradiction of how Mitch Morrissey and John Ramsey describe the known sequence of events. The autopsy and science revealed JonBenet was hit hard in the head, cracking her skull, and causing massive damage, and shallow breathing, but not death. The little girl's cause of death was strangulation by ligature caused by someone turning a garrote made of sticks from Patsy Ramsey's art supply kit. If you care about this enduring mystery, know that this section begins about an hour in and surrounds the possibly incriminating sound out of the mouth of John Ramsey during his friendly interview with Megyn Kelly. Mitch Morrissey explains his attitude towards Boulder DA Mary Lacy's exoneration of the Ramsey parents. Both Denver natives, host and guest reminisce initially about their three generations of Denver lawyers. We talk about Denver DA Phil Van Cise and his Deputy DA (and future Colorado Supreme Court Justice) O. Otto Moore who fought the Klan in the 1920s. Mitch's grandfather was FDR's US Attorney for Colorado and his Dad a prominent legislator. We move to the 1980s and discuss Dale Tooley, Norm Early, Bill Ritter, Mike Kane, Mike Little, Brooke Wunnicke, Beth McCann, Chuck Lepley, Norm Brisson, Lamar Sims, Doug Jackson, Bonnie Benedetti, Tom Clinton, Henry Cooper and so many great Denver prosecutors. Listen as Mitch Morrissey takes us behind the scenes on the Alan Berg murder case, the Darrent Williams murder case, and many other famous Denver homicides. The sentencing pendulum has swung toward leniency and Morrissey explains how we are paying the price. The past, present, and future of Denver and Colorado are discussed. The job of a big city prosecutor is to provide public safety. It takes wisdom and experience to properly charge people accused of crimes. Morrissey spent five years doing Intake and understands smart ways to file cases. We discuss whether the El Paso County law enforcers did a good job with respect to the Club Q massacre. Could better charging and prosecution decisions have prevented the shooter from committing his awful gun crimes? What about Red Flag Laws unenforced? We discuss capital punishment in Colorado. This show runs the gamut with one of the most interesting and accomplished attorneys in Colorado. Craig's Lawyers' Lounge was proud to host this epic conversation with one of America's top crime fighters. Listen to the prosecutorial passion for justice in Denver DA Mitch Morrissey and enjoy. Troubadour Dave Gunders delivers a brilliant conversation on the host's birthday. A Sun Still Shining is a gift of a song to get us through hard times, like the aftermath of violent crime, such as the Club Q shooting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dKgqTv1MAA
The 2022 season will mark the 20th anniversary of Rio Hondo Prep Football kicking off a new era. The Class of 2003 had the honor of leading Rio into the first full season of 11 Man Football in school history. Fresh off of the school's last 8 Man CIF Championship in 2001, the 2002 team was poised to show that RHP could compete at a higher level. Today, five seniors from that team will reminisce about what a very special year it became. Without a home field to play on, the Kares would beat eventual champion Pasadena Poly and were knocked out of the Playoffs by eventual runner up Grace Brethren. It was full of many sweet victories and a couple devastating losses, but it paved the way for a program that would soar to new levels of success at a rapid pace. It is my pleasure to be joined by my lifelong friends from the Class of 2003: Devon Drain, Bill Ritter, Renzo Roel, and Jordan Ross. Email: ChargeToKeepPod@gmail.com Voicemail: https://anchor.fm/a-charge-to-keep/message --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/a-charge-to-keep/message
This episode of the Getting Smart Podcast is a part of our Green Schools campaign, an initiative to highlight important thinkers and activists in the movement to make schools more sustainable, more green, and more mindful of our relationship with the planet. On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom Vander Ark is joined by his friend and former Governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter. Bill Directs Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University which works with state and federal policymakers to create clean energy policy throughout the country. During his four-year term, Ritter established Colorado as a national and international leader in clean energy by building a New Energy Economy. Years ago, Governor Ritter authored a book entitled, Powering Forward – What Everyone Should Know About America's Energy Revolution, which we talk about at length on this episode. Links Center for the New Energy Economy Powering Forward – What Everyone Should Know About America's Energy Revolution Bill Ritter LinkedIn Dr. Bryan Willson Senator Tim Wirth Green Cross Justice 40 TerraPower Modular Reactors Boulder Valley School District
Rest in peace Norman Strickland Early, Jr., longtime Denver DA Norm Early showed his personality and wisdom in Craig's Lawyers' Lounge in a memorable lively last visit on July 18, 2020. Norm discussed his health challenges, travels, favorite sports, grandparenting, and what he anticipated for his three grandsons and their futures. Listen to Norm sing Monkey Business. Norm was a collegiate athlete, and reflected on competitiveness, and the degree to which he factored that into hiring and promoting prosecutors. Norm reminisces on prosecutions of Quintin Wortham, Frank Rodriguez and the United Bank Massacre (James King) case. We talk about Dale Tooley, Dick Lamm, Bill Buckley, Mike Little, Dick Kay (the furrier), Bill Ritter, Beth McCann, and the Denver DA family. Learn about Norm's Washington D.C. (Chocolate City) upbringing and the impact of the Brown v Board of Education ruling. Find out Norm's reaction to the murder of George Floyd, BLM, Confederate flags, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, the modern GOP, Major Lance, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Friday is Earth Day. So, in this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, we want to look at how protecting and repairing the environment is not just good news for our planet, it is also good news for the American worker. The demand for workers with green skills rose dramatically last year in all industries – from tech to health care to the skilled trades – and is projected to grow even more this year with the passage of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. This episode is from our live Green Jobs Now panel discussion at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego in early April. Using our own proprietary state-by-state research, this WorkingNation panel examines where the opportunities exist today and tomorrow for green jobs and identifies educational pathways that lead to the skills job seekers need to get these in-demand jobs. I was honored to moderate the panel. Joining me in this discussion was former Colorado governor Bill Ritter, director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University; Daniel Ferguson, senior director of workforce development at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI); Matt Sigelman, chairman of Emsi Burning Glass; Frank Niepold, senior climate education program manager and coordinator at NOAA's Climate Program Office; and Joan Lynch, chief content and programming officer at WorkingNation. Take a listen! Episode 227: Green Jobs Now, Our Panel at ASU+GSV SummitHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlExecutive Producers: Joan Lynch and Melissa PanzerTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4.0Download the transcript for this podcast here.You can check out all the other podcasts at this link: Work in Progress podcasts
Friday is Earth Day. So, in this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, we want to look at how protecting and repairing the environment is not just good news for our planet, it is also good news for the American worker. The demand for workers with green skills rose dramatically last year in all industries – from tech to health care to the skilled trades – and is projected to grow even more this year with the passage of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. This episode is from our live Green Jobs Now panel discussion at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego in early April. Using our own proprietary state-by-state research, this WorkingNation panel examines where the opportunities exist today and tomorrow for green jobs and identifies educational pathways that lead to the skills job seekers need to get these in-demand jobs. I was honored to moderate the panel. Joining me in this discussion was former Colorado governor Bill Ritter, director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University; Daniel Ferguson, senior director of workforce development at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI); Matt Sigelman, chairman of Emsi Burning Glass; Frank Niepold, senior climate education program manager and coordinator at NOAA's Climate Program Office; and Joan Lynch, chief content and programming officer at WorkingNation. Take a listen! Episode 227: Green Jobs Now, Our Panel at ASU+GSV SummitHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlExecutive Producers: Joan Lynch and Melissa PanzerTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4.0Download the transcript for this podcast here.You can check out all the other podcasts at this link: Work in Progress podcasts
Rio Hondo Prep improved to 5-0 with a 44-9 win over Linfield Christian on the road in Temecula. Head Coach Mark Carson recaps the game and answers two voicemails from Rio alums Landon Goodwell (2005) and Bill Ritter (2003). Coach also gives high praise to the RHP Medical Staff and offers insight on how the football program has made improvements behind the scenes. We are also joined by Senior QB Damyan Diaz. He talks about being a team leader and his new role as Academy President. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/15mph/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/15mph/support
To go deeper on the topic of his recent article, “Beyond solar and wind: 10 steps to meet President Biden's clean electricity target,” Bryce Yonker chats with Michael Pesin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Jennifer Potter, Hawaii PUC Commissioner; and Bill Ritter, former Colorado Governor and Director, Center for New Energy Economy. The conversation ranges from distributed energy ("In Hawaii, DERs are our one choice.") to R&D ("That's what we need to get to 100%.") to investments ("We know: hardware is hard.") and more. Don't miss this live recording featuring three expert viewpoints in one lively discussion. Produced by Grid Forward.
Bill Ritter makes a return to the podcast after his first appearance back in April of 2020. He is a talented musician and audio engineer who lives in Portland, OR. Bill talks with great passion about Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin. Other topics include the two party system, getting along with those who have opposing views, Kobe vs Lebron, and reflecting on the good old days playing ball together back in high school. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/15mph/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/15mph/support
In the first of a two-part interview, Kevin Burke speaks with Darryl McDaniels, the legendary hip-hop artist from Hollis, Queens, where he and his two friends formed one of the truly pioneering groups in American music: Run-DMC. Darryl was the “DMC” in that equation and together with Joseph “Run” Simmons and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, he put Hollis on the map for an entire generation. Before then, Hollis was the neighborhood where they were kids growing up in homes and on streets where the gaps between blocks sometimes felt like the borders between different kingdoms. Your Hometown is a show where the local is the epic. Visit yourhometown.org to subscribe to the podcast and our various social media channels. Our co-presenter this season is the Museum of the City of New York. For more, including information on live events, check out our NYC series page at mcny.org/yourhometown-podcast. Show Notes Music “Good Times” – Chic (1979) “Rapper’s Delight” – Sugar Hill Gang (1979) “Superrappin’” – GrandMaster Flash & the Furious Five (1979) “It’s Like That” – Run-D.M.C. (1984) “Sucker M.C.’s”- Run-D.M.C. (1984) “Jam Master Jay” – Run-D.M.C. (1984) L’Estro Amronico: Concerto Grosso D Minor Sicilianna – composed by Antonio Vivaldi News Footage Eyewitness News ABC 7 archival clip of Diana Williams and Bill Ritter reporting on Jay Master Jay’s murder (October 30, 2002) Illustrations Nick Gregg Read Darryl McDaniels, Ten Ways Not to Commit Suicide: A Memoir Special thanks Darryl McDaniels, Richard Barone, and Stephen Petrus. We are also grateful to the Museum of the City of New York, our co-presenter on this New York City feature series, and especially want to thank Whitney Donhauser, Sheryl Victor Levy, Fran Rosenfeld, Keith Butler, Jerry Gallagher, Jennifer Hernandez, Lillian Lesser, Danny Curtin, Corin Infantino, Lizzy Marmon, Brittney Benham, Meryl Cooper, Robin Carol, Chie Miyajima, and Tara Dawson.
Food justice is a term heard more and more. Captured in that term is a view of how historical factors have shaped inequity in food systems, and powerful ideas for addressing issues such as food security, obesity, and the welfare of farmers. Listen in to a discussion with well-known author Adrian Miller, a very thoughtful voice on these issues. Interview Summary Could you begin by describing what you see as the major aspects of food justice activism, especially among African-Americans? So I think a lot of it is about autonomy and having power to not only grow your own food but have access to healthy food and to really address kind of the dislocations we have in our food system. It's just really crazy that we grow so much food and so many people are not getting that food, and we throw away so much food. So I think people want to have more control over the food choices they have, and to be able to live healthier lives. And you're seeing a lot of activism in veganism right now, and some of it is connected back to an African diet. So you're seeing a lot of ideological and interesting kind of discussions in that way, but you're seeing questions about workers' rights and making sure that people in the food system are being paid a living wage, animal welfare issues. So I think it's an exciting time for food justice, but I think especially one of the most exciting things that I've seen is urban farming. Because a lot of African-Americans are in urban settings now. So how, in an urban setting, can you grow your own food and get access to food? So this may be a nuance it's not worth making but one could look at the term food justice and think of having a food system that's more just, but you could also turn it around and say that a better food system can create justice overall. Would you agree with that? Oh yes, I agree with the latter. Yes, absolutely. I mean I'm thinking of justice in a broad sense. We have a fair and inclusive society, and I think having access to healthy food, to good food, leading a healthy life, I think is really key to that. Because if you're distracted with other kind of survival issues, it may affect your ability to participate in other aspects of society. And so much of the work that I've done over time in terms of a policy sense is, how can we get people to just have those basic needs met so that they can be active participants in the economy, our democracy, all of these other things? I imagine I can anticipate your answer to this but do you see access to healthy food at a reasonable cost to be a basic human right? Oh absolutely. And it just hurts me that we're not even close to that place yet. That's for sure. So what institutions are playing an active role in this, do you believe? Well in the African-American community, I think one of the most viable institutions is the Black church. You're starting to see more African-American pastors say, well, caring for the souls of my congregants is not just a spiritual dimension, it's actually a physical dimension as well. And so they're starting to preach about these things. They're starting to get active in food justice issues. And I think one of the exciting things is, churches for a long time have been very strong on the charity model, right? They have food banks, they have meal programs, other things, but now people are starting to say, okay, so why are so many hungry people showing up at our church? Maybe we need to do something about changing the system so that we can meet the immediate needs, but long-term, we can help these people be in a place where they might not even have to come to a food bank. And African-American pastors are one of the most respected and trusted leaders in our community. So that the fact that they are awakening to these issues and showing leadership, I think portends an exciting future. So our country has typically defaulted, hasn't it, to charity-based models that, when people are hungry, you get them food, or you try to get them enough money sort of thing and buy the food, but you're saying that we need to go much deeper than that, that we need to ask the fundamental question, as you said about why communities can't feed themselves, and then go in and help solve those problems. What do you think are some of the most exciting things you've said? You talked about urban gardens and programs like that. You also talked about the importance of the black churches. Are there other things that you've seen that you think are exciting? Yes, and just to add on to that, the way that churches are, I think, are addressing this is, what do churches often have especially in an urban setting? A ton of land. And so we're seeing a lot of churches actually turned to gardening, and not only to supply their own food programs, whatever kind of meal program they have, but also to give this food to people in the community. So there's actually a church in Denver that is actually working the garden. And then when it comes time to harvest, they actually just give away the food for free. So I think that's pretty exciting. There's a pastor in northern Mississippi, not too far from Memphis, who is taking the question of healthy eating so seriously that he no longer allows his church to have fried chicken for their meals after service. So this is a black pastor that has effectively banned fried chicken. Now he's still alive, nothing's happened to him. But that's the kind of leadership that we need to see. I think another thing that's happening, especially in communities like Detroit, is you're starting to see a lot of collaboration with different aspects of the community. So for instance, you have botanical gardens and societies now realizing that they can connect with urban farming, and they're reaching out to African-American community groups to figure out what are the ways that we can connect. So, you know, when you think about a botanical garden, you're thinking about kind of upper echelons of white society, right? But they're now looking for ways to collaborate. You have a lot of young people that are also interested in urban farming and growing food, but also reconnecting to nature. So it's not just happening in the urban context, but they're trying to figure out how can we reconnect with farmers outside of our urban setting and maybe even create our own mini food system? You know, we talked about the fact that I'm writing a barbecue book. Later this weekend, I'm going to spend some time with Ed Mitchell, a long time African-American barbecuer in this area. And he is actually looking into raising heritage animals to get back to the way barbecue was a hundred years ago. So to get away from this kind of factory farm model, and he's looking to create a network of African-American farmers to supply those heritage animals. So we've got just like all kinds of interesting things happening. So you're really talking in some ways about whether a community has autonomy over its own food supply and its own food system. And that there's lack of autonomy the way things are now. Has it always been that way? Oh I don't think so. So even if you go back to the Antebellum South, there have been periods where we've had, and especially after emancipation, we've had all-black communities, and really they were agricultural towns that got started. And the whole idea was to, you know, to use a term from the past, pull themselves up from the bootstraps, but often did it through food. And some of these communities thrived for a long time. And it was really external conditions that led to their demise, the Dust Bowl, or other things, even despite active white racism that tried to thwart their progress. These towns really thrived. And then even in the context of slavery, there was semi-autonomy. One of the untold stories, I believe, from the antebellum period is to the extent that the enslaved were allowed to grow their own food. And they were given a plot of land, they were also given animals to raise. And so even in that horrible context, you do see some enslaved Africans trying to, in a sense, recreate home. If they were in a similar climate from their homeland, they tried to grow those plants, like okra, sorghum, millet, other foods. So we see not only this attempt for autonomy but really an attempt to assert their humanity, even under extremely difficult circumstances. And a lot of times food was a way to facilitate that. So how do you see people responding to the absence of fresh food? I see a mixed response. So I think part of it is, people just don't know. They're in an environment where most of the food choices they have are poor. Fast food, convenience food, you know, all these things. And so, without even knowing that there's other food available, that's just kind of the world as presented. I mean, one of the most heartbreaking things that I've seen recently is there was a documentary and the person who was filming it was holding up basically fruits and vegetables to kids. And they had no idea what that was. I remember, like one guy held up a potato and the kid had no idea what that was, and did not know that that's what led to potato chips. So I think it's going to take some education. And I think in the schools, also the edible gardening movement that's starting with schools. I think it's going to take a lot to just reconnect kids to that food story because it got disrupted for whatever reason. So what do you think of calling such areas food deserts? I think it's inaccurate for a couple of reasons. First of all, it's kind of a slap in the face to indigenous people who have been living in deserts and managed to survive for thousands of years. And this is, you know, I'm going to do the same thing with this term, but I like the idea of food swamps. The idea that, it's not that there's no food available, it's just that there's a lot of unhealthy food that's available and it's overwhelming. And you know, I'm sympathetic to parents. You know, if you're a single parent, you've got a few kids, you've been working all day, you have got to come home and feed your kids. Instead of making a dinner, I can understand why you might go to a place that is going to offer you really cheap food. If you can feed your family for 10 to 15 bucks, I could see why people make those decisions. So we have to present people with the option that you can feed your family healthy food for a very similar cost, if you do these things. Another important aspect of this is the kind of highly processed foods that you're talking about. Act on the brain in the ways that create addictive-like properties. And so there, you get a really tough picture, if you get these products being heavily advertised. They may be the only things that are available to people who live in certain areas, and they're hijacking the brain, and that's a pretty bad combination of factors. So how do you see labor issues playing into this picture? So one of the things that we are going to have to come to grips with, I think, eventually if we're going to be serious about food justice is paying for the true cost of food. And that's going to make some things very expensive. But, again, we're seeing like how this is not playing out very well because we have more and more people who are not making enough money to make their ends meet. And a lot of them are in the food industries. And at some point, we're going to have to figure out how can we pay people in a way that they can be self-sufficient and have a healthy food system, and make food affordable? I don't know if that all works out but I think people of means are at some point may have to just say, you know what, I'm not paying a lot of money for this thing that's being made out of season. Why is that? So I think it's going to be a consciousness among people of means to say, you know what, for the greater good for everyone, and I know that's kind of a tough sell these days, maybe I should pay more for these foods so that the money can flow all throughout the food system. So if people were to pay the real cost of food, you mentioned the things out of season would go up in price, so there are other things that would probably go up in price? I think almost all food is probably going to go up. I remember an interview by David Chang, who's a well-known chef in New York City, a very popular chef, and he was talking about within his own restaurant, how much food prices would go up if you actually were to start paying staff a fair wage, a living wage, and really, you know, pass on the cost for the food to consumers. I think he subsidizes some of this stuff in order to be competitive with other people in the market. So I don't think it's just produce and those things, I think everything's going to go up. So if the price of things going up, go up, as you said, do you think we should have an exemption for barbecue? I'm all about it. So I've heard you use the term culinary justice. Can you explain that? Yes, so one of the vibrant discussions in at least African-American food circles and southern food circles is, how do we account for the people of color who are doing their thing and that's celebrated in food media and other circles? I think southern food is the perfect context for this, because southern food is a shared cuisine. It's the intermingling of West Africa, Western Europe, and the Americas. And what I talk about in my "Soul Food" book is I explain why there's a rupture. So in the 1960s, soul food emerges as this very popular term and it forces a divorce within southern food. So soul becomes black, southern becomes white. And part of that was the efforts of black power, black community, activists, trying to figure out how do we connect disparate African-American communities across the country? And culture is a strong tie. So they really emphasize that narrative. And so southern food became white. So now, 50 years later, the whites are the ones celebrated for southern food, which has a resurgence Renaissance and the African-Americans are left out, it's kind of a function of that rupture that happens in the 1960s. So I think a lot of the culinary justice term, discussions now, are really trying to figure out how do we reintegrate the context for southern food so that it celebrates the African-American contributions as well as the contributions of all these others. Bio Adrian Miller has a very long history in social justice and food. He served as a Special Assistant to President William Clinton and to the Deputy Director of the President's Initiative for One America, an effort to examine and focus on closing the opportunity gaps that exist for minorities in the United States. He later served as Deputy Legislative Director and as Senior Policy Analyst for Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter. He's the author of a number of fascinating books including a book called "Soul Food: the surprising story of an American Cuisine, one plate at a time," and a book entitled "The President's Kitchen Cabinet," the story of African-Americans who have fed our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas.
William "Bill" Becker is the Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), a nonpartisan foundation-funded initiative that has worked for the past 13 years with many U.S. and international thought leaders to develop ideas for presidential leadership on climate change and America’s transition to a clean energy economy. Before founding PCAP, Bill served for 15 years as a senior official at the Department of Energy, specializing in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-carbon energy technologies. Working with former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, Becker directed an initiative in 2014 that convened more than 100 experts in five energy sectors to prepare policy ideas for President Barack Obama. The report -- Powering Forward: Presidential and Executive Agency Actions to Drive Clean Energy in America -- contains analyses and policy proposals that remain relevant today. During his diverse career, Bill has been Administrative Assistant to Wisconsin’s Attorney General, Counselor to the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the publisher of his own weekly newspaper, a correspondent for the Associated Press, and membership on Mikhail Gorbachev’s International Climate Change Task Force. He is a former journalist who began at age 19 as a decorated combat correspondent for the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. He is a frequent blogger and a regular contributor to the on-line magazine Wall Street International. Books: · The Creeks Will Rise: People Co-Existing with Floods, scheduled for publication in Spring 2021, Fulcrum Press · Democracy Unchained: How to Rebuild Government for the People, co-editor and contributor, February 2020, The New Press · The 100-Day Action Plan to Save the Planet, St. Martin’s Griffin, New York · The Indefensible Society, Lorian Press · The Making of a Solar Village, U.S. Department of Energy · Rebuilding for the Future, U.S. Department of Energy · Creating a Sustainable and Desirable Future: Insights from 45 global thought leaders, (contributor) World Scientific 2014. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/julian-guderley/support
Steve Adubato is joined by Pete Oneglia, General Manager, InsiderNJ, and Nicole Swenarton, Senior Producer, Think Tank with Steve Adubato, to discuss the impact of millennials on the political process. Then, Steve sits down with Lauren Duca, Journalist and Author, “How to Start a Revolution,” to discuss millennials’ political awakening. Later, Steve Adubato is joined […]
Former Governor Bill Ritter joins me to talk about Energy Issues facing Colorado, the Center for the New Energy Economy, and where his focus is on decarbonisation.
Former college basketball player Bill Ritter joins the show and talks about his current work as an Audio Engineer / Music Producer. He also takes us back to playing sports and the trumpet at RHP. You won't meet a more unique individual. (Uncensored) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/15mph/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/15mph/support
"When I checked into the game as a sycamore during the 1978-79 season I received a standing ovation.....Well let me rephrase...When I checked into the game, Larry was coming out of the game." A great interview with Bob Ritter, a Northwest Space Pioneer and Indiana State University Sycamore. We talk about his Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame father (Bill Ritter), his playing days both as a Pioneer and Sycamore and that magical run those Sycamores took until being defeated by Michigan State University in the championship game in 1979. We also talk about his true love, music and his relationship with it...Check out his Facebook page www.facebook.com/bomarandrittermusic/ and also Bomarandritter.com, I've been listening on Amazon Music Unlimited...Thanks fo listening....Billy
Calls to ActionLearn more about the Center for the New Energy Economy: https://cnee.colostate.edu/Learn more about Bill's work with Mesh Power to create sustainable energy resources in Africa that bypass carbon: https://cnee.colostate.edu/bill-ritter-visits-rwanda-microgrid-project-development/
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What does the 2018 Farm Bill mean for Hemp Cultivation? Michael Bowman is Founding Chair of the National Hemp Association. He is also the author of Section 7606 of the 2014 Farm Bill. He’s known in some circles as “Mr Hemp” for his activism and has been instrumental in shaping the State of Colorado’s hemp policy as Chair of Colorado’s New Energy Future and served as Co-Chair of Governor-elect Bill Ritter’s Energy Transition Team. https://www.kisorganics.com/pages/cannabis-cultivation-and-science-podcast-episode-45
Bill Ritter has been the evening anchor at ABC7 New York since 1999. His experience has provided him with excellent insights into the news business, not to mention countless interesting stories from his career. Some of the many topics we discuss: what his job as an anchor entails (spoiler: it's more than just reading a teleprompter), what covering 9/11 was like, working in local vs. national news, meeting President Jimmy Carter.
Bill Ritter interviews Therapist Darby Fox and Former FBI Agent-in-Charge Richard Frankel on the Kavanaugh hearings on "Up Close" for Sunday, September 30, 2018.
Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)
360: Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter discusses his work in both the public and private sector to promote clean energy, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship. We also discuss his roles as Founding Director of The Center for the New Energy Economy and Strategy Partner at Blackhorn Ventures.
Bill Ritter interviews Former NY Governor David Paterson on the current gubernatorial race on "Up Close" for Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza and Cynthia Nixon who is running for governor of New York on "Up Close" for Sunday, September 9, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews Republican Congressman Peter King and Democratic Congressman Adriano Espaillat on Michael Cohen's guilty plea and the conviction of Paul Manafort on "Up Close" for Sunday, August 26, 2018.
Legendary 20/20 correspondent and longtime ABC New York anchor Bill Ritter joins Mike Colon for an in depth discussion on the differences between working in Los Angeles and New York City, covering the Rodney King and O.J. Simpson trials, succeeding a legend upon his arrival to ABC New York in 1998, and the state of journalism in 2018. Follow Mike On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeInNewHaven Follow Bill On Twitter: https://twitter.com/billritter7 Song: Third Eye Blind - Never Let You Go (1999)
Legendary 20/20 correspondent and longtime ABC New York anchor Bill Ritter joins Mike Colon for an in depth discussion on the differences between working in Los Angeles and New York City, covering the Rodney King and O.J. Simpson trials, succeeding a legend upon his arrival to ABC New York in 1998, and the state of journalism in 2018. Follow Mike On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeInNewHaven Follow Bill On Twitter: https://twitter.com/billritter7 Song: Third Eye Blind - Never Let You Go
Bill Ritter interviews Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia on recycling trash, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson about the debate for no longer arresting or issuing citations for small amounts of marijuana on "Up Close" for Sunday, May 20, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews NYPD's former Chief of Detectives, Robert Boyce on how the police investigate special victims cases, in light of the allegations several women are making against former New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman. Also, Christine Quinn, former New York City Council Speaker talks about her shock on the allegations on "Up Close" for Sunday, May 13, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews Congressman Peter King on the investigation into President Trump and the payment to Stormy Daniels. Also, Ritter interviews Former Governor of New York David Paterson on the current gubernatorial race, and ABC's Political Director Rick Klein talks about all of the controversy surrounding the president on "Up Close" for Sunday, May 6, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews former FBI Director James Comey about his new book and the president's tweets. But first, Bill Ritter interviews the former Chair of the New York City Housing Authority about her resignation on "Up Close" for Sunday, April 22, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut talks about James Comey's book and revelations. He also speaks to social media expert Sree Sreenivasan about Mark Zuckerberg's testimony to Congress and privacy on Facebook. Finally, Ritter speaks with political consultant Hank Sheinkopf about President Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen and the legal and political battle ahead on "Up Close" for Sunday, April 15, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews the new New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza on "Up Close" for Sunday, April 8, 2018.
Bill Ritter interviews the president of the LIRR Phillip Eng about fixing the railroad's chronic delays. Then, Ritter speaks to NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer about what it will take to fix the troubled subway system in city. Finally, Ritter speaks to political analyst Han Scheinkopf in New York and ABC Political Analyst Rick Klein in Washington, DC, about the meeting between the presidents of North and South Korea on "Up Close" for Sunday, April 29, 2018.
Fifty years ago, former Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm was a freshman legislator when he sponsored what became the nation's first law to ease restrictions on abortion. This week, the group American Right to Life, based in Wheat Ridge, sent state legislators a letter denouncing the 1967 law, saying it led to the deaths of thousands of lives. Then, farmers on the Western Slope are letting their land lie fallow this year and "banking" their water to hedge against future shortages. And, Colorado State University Professor John Straayer is retiring after shepherding more than 1,000 students through internships at the Colorado legislature over 37 years. His former students include Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and former Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter. Plus, police shootings and racial issues left an impression on Denver comic book creator Alan Brooks, who wrote a graphic novel on the subject.
Bill Ritter, Jr., the 41st governor of Colorado and one of America’s key thought leaders on sustainable energy, reads from and discusses his new book Powering Forward: What Everyone Should Know about America’s Energy Revolution, which is written in partnership with the Center for a New Energy Economy. A historic energy revolution is underway in […]
Gov. Bill Ritter championed renewable energy when he was in office and continues promoting the cause in his book “Powering Forward: What Everyone Should Know About America’s Energy Revolution.” Ritter now directs The Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Michael Bowman! Michael Bowman is a fifth-generation native of Colorado from the northeastern ag community of Wray, Colorado. Throughout his adult life he has been active in the rural development initiatives both nationally and internationally. He serves on the National Steering Committee for "25x'25" and was a founding member of the alliance; He is also a founding board member of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance and Shadowcliff , a Colorado non-profit focused on environmental education. He was a co-founder of the Colorado Farm2Cafeteria workgroup and led the fundraising efforts in the Fall of 2010 for Operation Free NASCAR outreach campaign. Over the past six years he has spoken nationally and internationally on issues related to rural development, local food systems, sustainability and energy. Michael served as Chair of Colorado's New Energy Future in 2006 and was co-chair of Governor-elect Bill Ritter's transition team for energy policy in 2008. He then served as a steering committee member for Colorado's Climate Action Plan where his efforts were centered on the opportunitiesfor local food systems and sustainable agriculture.
The governor speaks about the environment and education.
Bill Ritter shares the journey after the suicide of his son through his sermons and book.
Mike talks to Bill Ritter Jr., director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University. Prior to that he served as Governor of Colorado from 2007 to 2011. During his term, Governor Ritter established Colorado as a national and international leader in renewable energy by building a New Energy Economy that's creating thousands of new jobs and establishing hundreds of new companies. He also enacted an aggressive business-development and job-creation agenda focused on knowledge-based industries of the future like energy, aerospace, biosciences, and information technology. Governor Ritter is also the author of ‘Powering Forward: What Everyone Should Know About America's Energy Revolution' Governor Ritter Recommends - The Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker (http://bit.ly/2w3qTs9) - Spot for Clean Energy (http://bit.ly/2w3js46) - Sue Tierney - The Analysis Group (http://bit.ly/2w3fbhf) - The Atlantic Magazine (http://theatln.tc/2w2Wdr5) This Week's Show is Sponsored By ZipRecruiter, where Politics Guys listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for FREE by going to https://www.ziprecruiter.com/politicsguy Blue Apron. Check out this week's menu and get your first three meals free with free shipping by going to https://blueapron.com/tpg Politics Guys Insiders support the show and get exclusive extras like special updates, more commentary, additional episodes, and lots more. You can check it out and sign up at our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/politicsguys or by clicking on the Patreon link at https://www.politicsguys.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-politics-guys/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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