November 16, 2015 12:14 PM UTC

Get More Smarter on Monday (Nov. 16)

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• by: Colorado Pols

Yes, we know you feel itchy and burning; it’s still not plantar fasciitis. It’s time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example).

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► In the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks, Republicans in Colorado and throughout the country are going bananas with fear mongering. President Obama spoke out against calls to prevent Syrian refugees from emigrating to the United States, as the New York Times reports:

Mr. Obama grew especially animated in rebuffing suggestions by some Republican presidential candidates, governors and lawmakers that the United States should block entry of Syrian refugees to prevent terrorists from slipping into the country.

“The people who are fleeing Syria are the most harmed by terrorism; they are the most vulnerable as a consequence of civil war and strife,” Mr. Obama said. He added: “We do not close our hearts to these victims of such violence and somehow start equating the issue of refugees with the issue of terrorism.”

Without naming him, Mr. Obama singled out a comment by former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, one of the Republicans seeking to succeed him, for suggesting the United States focus special attention on Christian refugees. “That’s shameful,” Mr. Obama said. “That’s not American. It’s not who we are. We don’t have religious tests to our compassion.”

Back here in Colorado, Denver-area residents held a gathering of support over the weekend for victims of the terrorist attacks. Colorado universities are reporting that all of its students studying overseas in France are believed to be unharmed.

► Texas Senator Ted Cruz may be surging ahead in the race for the Republican Presidential  nomination. Controversial Iowa Rep. Steve King has given Cruz his nod of approval.

► There was a Democratic Presidential debate on Saturday that nobody watched, and the campaigns are griping about the scheduling. We don’t disagree, but how did we ever get this far? Why would you ever schedule anything of importance for a Saturday night television audience?

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► The City of Thornton is in hot water after a strange decision to publicize the home addresses of residents opposed to fracking. As John Aguilar reports for the Denver Post:

Thornton last week removed a map from its website that listed the home addresses of fracking opponents after residents complained that the disclosure amounted to an act of “intimidation.”

“It was creepy, it was scary,” Rebecca Gregory, a resident of the Hunters Glen neighborhood, said of the map that pinpointed the addresses of 14 homeowners — including hers — who had contacted the city with concerns over proposed oil and gas drilling operations in and around Thornton.

The map, which showed where the city’s active wells were and labeled the opponents’ houses as “addresses of interest,” was included in a packet of materials distributed to City Council members last week during a study session. The map was also posted online.

 

Thornton Mayor Heidi Williams laughably says it was “an oversight” to publish a list of fracking opponents and their home addresses.

► Can you hear that buzz in the air? People are getting pretty excited about the release this week of Colorado’s first-ever statewide water plan.

► Colorado apparently has a town named “Pierce” located near Greeley. Why are we telling you this? Because a member of the town board of Pierce may have stabbed a woman to death in coordination with a local biker gang…although “gang” may be the wrong word to use here, according to local officials:

Confessions from various arrested members of the “21 Crew” or “Unforgivens” — the group in which Meyer was known as “the enforcer” — revealed that Lewandowski became upset when she learned Meyer was stealing her prescription drugs. Meyer responded by ambushing Lewandowski in her sleep at midnight on Sept. 29 along with his gang members, the affidavit said.

At least they thought of themselves as a gang.

The group was not known by police in the area, said Weld County district attorney spokeswoman Kimberly Corban.

“I’m not even sure what their general purpose is,” said Greeley Police Department gang expert Mike Prill. “There’s nothing like them anywhere else that I’m aware of.”

► Things are starting to heat up in the Republican Primary for Senate District 12, and “Dr. Chaps” is throwing the first punch.

► El Paso County Commissioner Peggy Littleton is threatening to run for U.S. Senate. She’s pretty sure that President Obama supports Common Core education policies as a means to establish charter schools liked to a Turkish Cleric…or something. We’d elaborate more if we understood what in the hell Littleton is talking about.

► The 2015 election is officially in the books. No surprises popped up as officials put the finishing touches on “curing” ballots.

► A 13-year-old girl is suing her home state of North Carolina, arguing that the state’s leaders have failed to take action on Climate Change.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► Democratic and Republican interest groups in Colorado continue to speak out about the possibility of transferring some Gitmo detainees to Colorado prisons. Colorado Sheriffs seem to disagree about the policy.

► What are you smoking? Governor John Hickenlooper wants to make sure there are no harmful pesticides in your legal marijuana.

ICYMI

► The Cortez Journal publishes a biting editorial critical of Colorado Republicans for continuing to attack Planned Parenthood:

Not surprisingly, the information revealed said much more about the event’s organizers than the group they sought to discredit…

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