I hope everyone is having a terrific Easter.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Ballots have gone out for the Denver Mayoral election. Today, at the 40th annual NORML 2011 conference in Denver. Montel Williams moderated a debate panel among several of the candidates: James Mejia, Jeff Peckham, Doug Linkart, Thomas Wolf, Theresa Spawn and Chris Roemer.

Factoids: In Denver. there are 270 medical marijuana centers, 470 grow facilities and 170 infused product manufacturers. There are between 14,000 and 20,000 in Denver who have medical marijuana cards. It provides 4,000 jobs in Denver.

Candidate Chris Roemer got justly booed when he referred to marijuana as "addictive." It was during the q and a session at 55:00 into the video. [More...]

The Colorado Board of Health is up to its old tricks, now trying to change the definition of caregiver in a way that will restrict patient choice and require patients to pay for unnecessary services. From Sensible Colorado:

Once again, the Colorado Health Department (CDPHE) has launched an attack on medical marijuana caregivers. Hiding behind the Attorney General’s questionable legal interpretation, the CDPHE has rejected the proposed definition of "caregiver" as put forward by the CDPHE Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. After studying the issue, the Advisory Board concluded that providing education about medical marijuana was sufficient to meet the definition of "caregiver".

[More...]

It's opening day for the Colorado Rockies. They are playing the Arizona Diamondbacks. It's a beautiful, sunny 70 degree day here. Go Rockies!

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The Colorado Department of Revenue has issued new rules relating to Medical Marijuana Centers (MMCs) in Colorado. They go into effect July 1, 2011. You can read the 77 pages of rules here.

Via e-mail received from Cannabis Therapy Center, which is still studying the rules, the Department of Revenue made some effort to comply with patient privacy and confidentiality but they fall short in some areas, for example: [More...]

There's being smart on crime, tough on crime, and now just plain old dumb on crime.

Colorado's new Governor, John Hickenlooper, formerly the popular Mayor of Denver, has just joined the ranks of those who are dumb on crime.

Former Governor Bill Ritter, who previously served two terms as Denver's elected District Attorney, initiated several programs aimed at providing educational opportunities, mental health and drug treatment and vocational programs to inmates, all of which were aimed at reducing recidivism and helping the inmates with re-entry after release.

Hickenlooper has announced as part of his budget cuts (which already made him unpopular due to his announced cuts of $375 million for k-12 education) that he is cutting some of the inmate re-entry programs begun under Ritter.

Joseph Boven at Colorado Independent reports:

Gov. John Hickenlooper’s budget proposal cuts programs designed to reduce recidivism, prevent juveniles from entering the criminal justice system and cut the number of repeat drug offenders in jail — programs former Gov. Bill Ritter’s administration said were saving the state millions of dollars. Colorado realized significant savings as a result of Ritter’s recidivism and diversion packages as indicated in a fact sheet released by the Office of State Planning and Budgeting in 2010.

Examples of the cuts: [More...]

A Denver physician accused of rape by his former nanny was acquitted today. It was a he-said-she-said case. Defense attorney Pam Mackey (who represented Kobe Bryant in his alleged sexual assault case) and Saskia Jordan represented the doctor. More case details here.

What convinced the jury? The doctor, who is divorced, had two nannies, and the head nanny fired the complaining nanny after learning of the encounter. The fired nanny then filed a civil lawsuit against the doctor. Translation: motive to lie.

Both nannys and the doctor testified at trial. The jurors were allowed to ask questions. They deliberated four hours before reaching their verdict.

As a result of the charge, the doctor had his medical license suspended and lost his hospital privileges. I assume those will be restored. But, how does he get his reputation back?

(photo from Rocky Mountain Diner website)

If you've spent any time in downtown Denver, you've probably eaten at the Rocky Mountain Diner. At 18th and Stout Streets, it's one block from the old federal courthouse and the federal court of appeals, three blocks from the new federal courthouse. The Diner is housed in the historic Ghost Building, designed by architect William Lang in the 1800's for a man name A.M. Ghost.

The seats start filling up at 11:30 am, by noon, there's a wait. The food is terrific and plentiful (lunch menu here, dinner menu here, dessert menu here) and the atmosphere inviting and familial. To call it a Denver institution is not an overstatement. [More...]

Update: I can't imagine two days of this weather.

Temperatures could reach minus 10 degrees before morning, with wind chills as low as 25 below, the weather service said....Tuesday wind chills could dip to minus 35, with the actual lows near minus 20.

National blizzards are on their way, and expected to affect 100 million people. Here in Denver, we're not just getting snow, but arctic cold. We may not even make it up to zero tomorrow. The latest National Weather alert: [More...]

The much-publicized case of Colorado marijuana grower Chris Bartkowicz wrapped up this morning when a federal judge sentenced him to five years in prison.

Bartkowicz came to the attention of the DEA after giving 9News an on camera interview and tour of his residence with the grow. He thought he was in compliance with state law. The DEA raided the house and seized 224 plants, which was more than six plants per the number of patients for whom he was a caregiver.

Bartkowicz had two prior felony convictions and the feds decided to play hardball by filing a notice to enhance his sentence due to the prior convictions. He was facing a mandatory minimum of 60 years and possibly life in prison. [More...]

While the mountains have been inundated with snow, Denver has been dry as a bone. Today, that's changing. The snow began to fall in the metro area about 10:00 a.m. If you want to watch it fall, click the play button above or go to Fox 31 News Live Snow Stick Camera.

Since the snow will continue until tomorrow, along with frigid temperatures, I'm taking a snow day and working from home. For those of you not working, or planning a New Year's Eve at home, here's some suggestions of things to do:[More...]

Bob Braudis, Aspen's (and my) favorite Sheriff reflects on his 24 years of service in an in-depth interview in the Aspen Times. (Great photos from the shoot here.)

Indisputably Pitkin County's most influential and beloved elected official for more than two decades, Braudis' outspokenness — from his positions against the war on drugs to his well-documented friendship with the late author Hunter S. Thompson — made him a giant among what he calls the “free thinkers” of Pitkin County.

For those who have known and appreciated Braudis all these years, there won't be a lot that comes as a surprise. For those who aren't familiar with him, it's a great read and highlights the difference between a law enforcement perspective like Braudis' that's smart on crime from one that is tough on crime (and destined to fail.) Some of the better quotes below: [More...]