Boulder–An extensive, scientific study on the effects of oil and gas drilling is going to be done by a team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. CU won a five-year, 12 million dollar federal grant to conduct the study that will focus on natural gas development and the protection of air and water.
Rifle–Local and state candidates running for office debated the issues last night at Rifle City Hall. Incumbent District 3 Commissioner Mike Samson is being challenged by Democrat Aleks Briedis. Samson and Briedis addressed a number of controversial subjects including the current board’s closed-door meeting about oil shale in Vernal, Utah and economic development. In District 2, four-term incumbent Republican John Martin is facing a challenge from Democrat and longtime resident Sonja Linman. Another political forum is taking place today at 4 o’clock at Glenwood Springs City Hall.
DENVER (AP) – The national political spotlight is again on Denver as President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney meet in their first debate. Romney has been in Colorado since Monday. The president arrives this afternoon. Motorists are being warned that I-25 from Hampden Avenue to Santa Fe will be closed for much of the evening commute because of the debate at the University of Denver. The closure has commuters scrambling for alternate routes or mass transit, many deciding to work from home or call in sick rather than fight the crush of journalists and political types. The university expected protesters and interested observers to gather outside the debate. The debate will be shown on screens in the “DebateFest” area for people who didn’t get tickets, and The Lumineers are scheduled to perform.
DENVER (AP) – Marijuana legalization backers in Colorado are trying to get the word out that support for legal pot isn’t all on the left.
A few Libertarian-leaning Republicans are on board, too. Legalization activists held a Capitol event Tuesday to promote the support of former Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo. Tancredo says he’s never used marijuana but find its prohibition “nanny-state” interference. Also on hand were members of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Colorado, who back marijuana legalizations. The conservatives cited states’ rights while talking about marijuana. They also argued that youth access to the drug could be reduced and not expanded if marijuana were legal without a doctor’s recommendation. That opinion is not shared by many in the Republican Party. Colorado is one of three states considering ballot measures to legalize pot.
