Author: Lars Gesing
-
Senate committee kills chokehold ban bill, 7 other police bills still make rounds in Capitol
—
by
In the wake of cases of apparent police brutality dominating headlines from Ferguson to North Carolina, Baltimore and all the way to Denver, lawmakers in Colorado this week took further action on a package of 10 bills aimed at restoring the public’s trust in the work of law enforcement. A portion of the two handfuls…
-
Local policymakers call on Rep. Polis to retract support for fast-tracking Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal
—
by
A group of 13 elected officials from Boulder, Longmont and Fort Collins has sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, asking him to oppose expedited Congressional approval for the contentious Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. The policymakers, worried the TPP deal would undermine local control, announced their action at a press conference organized by…
-
Day Four: Not for the faint-hearted, debating doomsday
—
by
Almost two years after Edward Snowden brought to light secret government surveillance practices, a panel of three privacy proponents met Thursday morning to discuss, “Cyber Security and Privacy We’re All H@cked.” Investigative journalist and civil liberties advocate Chip Berlet joined Malou Innocent from the libertarian think tank Cato Institute and Mother Jones co-editor Clara Jeffery.…
-
Day II: A policy debate carousel — drugs, energy, terrorism and health care
—
by
The Colorado Statesman will be covering the 67th Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder all week with web-exclusive updated overviews of the action. For live coverage throughout the day, follow our reporter Lars Gesing on Twitter @LarsGesing. *** If you assemble an “Our Tangled Drug Policy” panel in the state of…
-
An alternative look at race – and the ‘same but different’ immigration debate
—
by
The Colorado Statesman will be covering the 67th Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder all week with web-exclusive updated overviews of the action each day. For live coverage throughout the day, follow our reporter Lars Gesing on Twitter @LarsGesing. The 67th Conference on World Affairs opened Monday on the University of…
-
Trans-Pacific trade agreement supporters, opponents spar
—
by
Deeply divided supporters and opponents of a deal that would allow the United States to enter into a trade agreement with 12 mostly Asian/Pacific countries are not giving up any ground. The stark disagreement was on display Monday night when U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, hosted a lively discussion on the University of Colorado Boulder…
-
P-Tech high school bill aims to address industry need for middle-skilled jobs
—
by
Two Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday presented a bill in the House Education Committee that would lay the groundwork for an enhanced high school degree program serving as a pipeline from the classroom to mid-level jobs. HB15-1270, sponsored by House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, and Rep. Mike Foote, D-Lafayette, creates the framework for partnerships between…
-
Growing marijuana industry embraces regulations
—
by
“We want to regulate our industry.” Have you ever heard a businessperson utter those words? Stephanie Hopper says them — a lot. Hopper is the COO of Ballpark Holistic Dispensary, a pot shop two blocks down the road from Coors Field in downtown Denver. Her business booms every time Colorado’s baseball fans pilgrim to see…
-
After midterm autopsy, Colorado and national Democrats scramble to realign message
—
by
When Sen. Cory Gardner unseated Democratic incumbent Mark Udall in the 2014 midterm elections, he was the first challenger to boot a sitting Colorado U.S. senator out of office since 1978. The highly competitive race topped priority lists on both sides of the aisle. But on election night, only the Republican camp celebrated. Not only…
-
Starboard Group: An inside look at the Colorado GOP fundraiser-in-chief
—
by
When everything was said and done, all Katie Behnke and Kristin Strohm could do was wait. Wait and see what a string of caffeine-fueled, sleep-deprived months of endless phone calls, conversations and a flurry of hastily written checks would translate to in percentage points. Would Cory Gardner clear the 50 percent hurdle? What about Mike…