National News: IndyBlog, Colorado Springs Independent

Funding ban renewed for Pinon Canyon

Pam Zubeck — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:48:00 -0600

For the sixth year running, a ban on funding to expand the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site is making its way into law.

In a news release, Not 1 More Acre!, an advocacy group fighting to keep the Army from claiming more land in southeast Colorado for maneuvers, announced the military construction budget that was marked up in the Military Construction Subcommittee of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee today will continue the funding ban on "any action that relates to or promotes the expansion of the boundaries or size of the U.S. Army's Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site."

Here's the entire news release from Jean Aguerre, president of Not 1 More Acre!

Keeping the funding ban in the law has been a top priority for N1MA!…
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Boy Scouts to lift ban on gay scouts, but not leaders

J. Adrian Stanley — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:32:00 -0600

According to the New York Times, the Boy Scouts of America will lift a ban on gay scouts, but its ban on gay leaders will remain intact.

The exclusionary policies of the Scouts has been an issue for decades.…

Flood funds approved by president

J. Adrian Stanley — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:38:00 -0600

Much-needed money for flood mitigation will soon flow into Colorado Springs.

President Barack Obama has signed a bill that will provide $65.5 million in Emergency Watershed Protection Funds to locally governments that apply.…

Transgender 6-year-old takes on Fountain school district

J. Adrian Stanley — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:43:41 -0700

Kathryn and Jeremy Mathis are the proud parents of five kids: a 9-year-old girl, a 2-year-old girl, and 6-year-old triplets.

When the triplets were born, it appeared they had two boys, Max and Coy, and one girl, Lily.…

USA Today outlines Colorado's sequestration situation

Kirk Woundy — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:45:33 -0700

In a report out this morning, USA Today breaks down the potential impact of sequestration, or a series of across-the-board federal budget cuts, state-by state. Colorado certainly sees a big threat, with more than 4,800 Army-related jobs affected (either furloughed or lost) and another 6,000-plus civilian Air Force jobs furloughed.…

One billion dancing to stop violence against women

J. Adrian Stanley — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:04:12 -0700

Valentine's Day is a day of love, but that love need not be limited to chocolate and roses.

Across the world today, a movement is sending women into the streets to dance, sing and call for an end to violence against women.…

Coffee for the National Rifle Association

Chet Hardin — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:50:39 -0700

Do you like coffee?

Do you like the National Rifle Association?

Have you ever wished that there was a way to combine these two likes?…

Social Security embraces future, circa 1998

J. Adrian Stanley — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:47:48 -0700

Since I'm a pessimist in my early 30s, I'm not that excited that the Social Security Administration is moving into the 21st century.

I highly doubt I'll ever see a Social Security check.…

Udall again hugging trees

Pam Zubeck — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:14:34 -0700

Sen. Mark Udall wants more money to fight fires and mitigate afterward. The Democrat from Colorado has teamed up with Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, to introduce an amendment to the Supplemental Appropriation for Disaster Assistance that would add $653 million to the agency's budget.…

The rock-star Nun on the Bus

Kirsten Akens — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:07:38 -0700

When the crowd alternates hollering out "Amen" with "Whoohoo," you know this ain't grandpa's Catholic mass.

But then Sister Simone Campbell, the 67-year-old nun who's touring the U.S. right now in a white vehicle labeled "Nuns on the Bus," probably isn't your Catholic grandpa's habit, either.

In fact, Sister Simone is a bit of a rock-star, left-leaning radical.…

FOX News personalties love the GOP

Chet Hardin — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:09:21 -0700

This one should come as no surprise.

Media Matters for America, the left-wing media watchdog group, has put together a neat map detailing the pro-Republican campaigning by FOX News personalties.…

UPDATE: Chick-fil-A prays out the gay (hating)

Bryce Crawford — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 17:52:10 -0600

Update, Friday, Sept. 21, 10:35 A.M.: Never mind.

———

Chick-fil-A has apparently decided that "kiss-ins" and protests are more disruptive than backing from the former governor of Arkansas is, uh, good, so the Georgia company — or, rather, its nonprofit WinShape Foundation — will no longer be giving money to hate groups like the National Organization for Marriage and, yes, Focus on the Family.…

Stay classy, Doug

Chet Hardin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 16:57:30 -0600

Four people died in the attack on the American embassy in Libya. And while we still aren't clear on exactly who was behind the attack, or what the motivation was, U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn has taken this as an opportunity to criticize the president.…

Manitou Incline bill heads to Senate

Chet Hardin — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 14:30:11 -0600

This is a big moment for Congressman Doug Lamborn.

Certainly the Republican has seen many of his bills pass through the Republican-controlled House, but this is the first time that one actually stands a chance to make it through the Democrat-controlled Senate — thanks to the Senate sponsorship of Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.…

A victory for all the Paulians

Chet Hardin — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:06:06 -0600

A fan of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul? Got a dog-eared copy of his book End the Fed on your bookshelf, and mises.org bookmarked on your internets?…

Waldo Canyon Fire evacuee accidently started wildfire in Idaho

Wyatt Miller — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:07:30 -0600

As if we needed another lesson in just how damningly accurate a certain expression is — the one about things "spreading like wildfire."

Boise's KTVB reports that Colorado Springs resident and Waldo Canyon Fire evacuee Krista McCann had been heading to her father's home in Oregon when she lost control of her Subaru on Interstate 84 in eastern Idaho. After salvaging whatever belongings she could from her burning car, McCann told KTVB she noticed the adjacent field was burning.…

The Christ candidate

Chet Hardin — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:33:43 -0600

With Rick Santorum out of the race, what other option do they have?

From the Christian Post:

An Internet evangelist who is advocating that Christians vote for Jesus as a write-in candidate says he has more than 200,000 people who have committed to do so.…
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Firefighters to get health insurance

J. Adrian Stanley — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:29:39 -0600

Some of you might remember the moving June 20 Letter to the Editor from Emily and Sarah Lauer titled "Health care for heroes."

Written during the High Park Fire, the letter urged lawmakers to change a policy that kept wildland firefighters from accessing health insurance.…

Preparrrrrrgh for Talk Like a Pirate Day

Jeff Koch — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 08:35:43 -0600

Avast, ye scurvy lubber! International Talk like a Pirate day has just come over the horizon, and is but a handful o' fortnights away — Sept. 19, same as always.…

Blaha: Lamborn's ad is false

Chet Hardin — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:45:34 -0600

The campaign for Robert Blaha, the businessman who is challenging U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn in the upcoming Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District seat, is none too happy about a recent campaign ad.

From a message directed at Lamborn:

We are writing to urge you to take down the undignified and false attacks on Robert Blaha and his extensive business record.…
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Lamborn-Blaha bashfest

Chet Hardin — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:07:59 -0600

How fun.

Today, my email features dueling press releases from the Republican primary candidates for the 5th Congressional District.…

Franking Commission tosses Blaha's complaint

Chet Hardin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:44:16 -0600

"The real scandal in Washington isn't what is illegal, it is what is legal."

That's the response from the campaign of Robert Blaha after finding out that its complaint over U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn's use of taxpayer-funded mail was dismissed.

Blaha, the businessman who is running a Republican primary against Lamborn in the 5th Congressional District, lodged the complaint last month over a mailer that, he claimed, had violated federal regulations.…

Blaha launches attack site

Chet Hardin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:26:07 -0600

The campaign of Robert Blaha, Doug Lamborn's primary challenger in Colorado's 5th Congressional District, has launched a new website, coupled with a nifty radio ad and a mailer.

Blaha repeats criticisms that he made to the Indy during last month's Q&A, such as Lamborn's inability as a lead sponsor to usher legislation through Congress.…

Another Phelps in the news

Chet Hardin — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:05:28 -0600

With all respect to mindless sayings, sometimes the apple does fall far from the tree.

Nate Phelps, son of Kansas pastor Fred Phelps, will be speaking on March 24 at the godless Reason Rally in Washington D.C.

According to the organizers' website:

The Reason Rally is a movement-wide event sponsored by the country’s major secular organizations.…
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WWI vets may be honored; too bad they're all dead

J. Adrian Stanley — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:54:37 -0700

Guess what? The veterans of World War I may finally get a commemorative coin and a proper national memorial to their sacrifice.…