City thinks Burlingame investigation unwarranted

by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Aspen City Attorney John Worcester continues to rebuff calls for an investigation into whether a criminal act contributed to the misstatement of Burlingame’s total costs in a 2005 brochure.

“Notwithstanding your conclusions about what people knew or didn’t know at the time, I am not aware of any evidence that suggests that anyone distributed information that they knew to be false,” Aspen City Attorney John Worcester wrote this week to James H. Perry, an Aspen resident who has requested that the city appoint an independent counsel to look into disclosure matters related to the Burlingame affordable housing project.

O’Connor: More education on law for U.S. kids

by Andrew Travers, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

A recent survey revealed that only one in 10 young Americans can name the current Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. And fewer than half can name the three branches of American government.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor yesterday, at the Aspen Ideas Festival, called this public ignorance a result of cutbacks in civics and government education in public schools. The curriculum deletions, she said, are “unintended consequences” of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act.

Assessor inspection strikes a nerve

by Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Pitkin County’s home inspection policy hit a nerve for an Aspen couple recently, and they’re hoping the assessor’s office will consider changing its policy of sending staffers unannounced to local homes.

A representative of the Pitkin County Assessor’s Office appeared at Patty and Ted Bennett’s Aspen home during an open house to show their home, and was let in by their real estate agent (see letter, page 8). According to the Bennetts, the representative said who she was without showing any identification, then started taking photos of their home without permission.

Fineman explains why the media love Obama

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Did the national media have a bias generally in favor of Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. Hillary Clinton during the primary contest?

“I think the answer to that is undeniably ‘yes,’” said Howard Fineman of Newsweek in response to a question from an audience member Wednesday at the Aspen Ideas Festival. “But the answer to the question is more complicated than a simple one-word answer.

OBITUARY — James Ray Lutz

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
James Ray “Jim” Lutz, 72, passed away on June 30, 2008.

Jim was born on Oct. 17, 1935, in Detroit, Mich., to Ray F. and Hazel (Baumgartner) Lutz. He married Karen Diane Clissett on Aug. 27, 1995 at the Aspen Chapel.

OBITUARY — James L. Misunas

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
James Ludwig Misunas, 64, passed away June 28, 2008, at the V.A. Medical Center in Grand Junction.

Jim was born May 24, 1944, to George Misunas and Josephine Riegler in Hawthorne, Calif. He was raised in Chicago, Ill.

Fire ban enacted in parts of Colorado

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Fire restrictions are in place in parts of western Colorado.

Bureau of Land Management officials said Wednesday that no open burning will be allowed on the agency’s land in Mesa, Eagle, and Garfield counties, and parts of Pitkin and southern Routt counties. Campfires are allowed only in designated fire grates in campgrounds.

THE SCORE — A polyglot population has arrived

by Asadour Santourian
When the 1,000-plus students and artists of the Aspen Music Festival and School settle into Aspen and Snowmass for the summer, a multicultural world moves in with them, bringing not only divergent and unique artistic sensibilities, but also cultural sensibilities from many countries and peoples throughout the world.

No other Main Street in the world can boast such an eclectic, polyglot population for three months. Instantly we become hosts to a united world — united in music, united in culture and yet still individuals — very akin to the ideals that made this country what it is.

Fire ban enacted in parts of Colorado

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Fire restrictions are in place in parts of western Colorado.

Bureau of Land Management officials said Wednesday that no open burning will be allowed on the agency’s land in Mesa, Eagle, and Garfield counties, and parts of Pitkin and southern Routt counties. Campfires are allowed only in designated fire grates in campgrounds.

Rock super group sets up camp

by Jason Hood
For a venue accustomed to hosting big-name rock stars, Belly Up just might have outdone itself. Aspen had better be prepared, because the moment mega-rock super group Camp Freddy hits the stage tonight, and a fair amount of seismic activity could occur.

The brain-child of Jane’s Addiction guitarist and one-time reality TV star Dave Navarro, Camp Freddy is an audacious blend of the highest caliber musicians modern rock has to offer. The core band members are Navarro, fellow guitarist Billy Morrison (The Cult/Circus Diablo), drummer Matt Sorum (Guns N Roses/Velvet Revolver), bassist Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction/Alanis Morrisette) and singer Donovan Leitch Jr. (son of 1960s folk singer Donovan). Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots was with the group from 2006-2008 before departing after a dust-up with Sorum.

Thanks to the superrich

by Jeremy Madden, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Private jets fill the airport. Fake breasts float high in the thin, mountain air. VIPs flock like pampered pigeons and the sweet stench of money stinks up the streets.

It is almost the Fourth of July in Aspen, and, boy, are we lucky. Often during days like this, when Aspen is overrun by the superrich, it is a time of despair, anger and annoyance. People are rude. Traffic is terrible. The pressure to please is immense. Egos must be stroked and asses must be kissed. Both patience and the off-season are out of reach.

Preparing tomorrow’s workforce today

by Carlos M. Gutierrez
I am in Aspen this week to discuss an important issue of our time: Developing an American workforce ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities. When the Department of Commerce hosted the National Summit on American Competitiveness in May, the number one issue among business and community leaders was making sure the next generation of Americans have the skills they need to compete in a global economy. 

While policies such as lower taxes, comprehensive immigration reform, and a results-oriented education system will help keep America the most competitive place to do business in the world, families and the private sector must do their parts to prepare America’s workforce. That means parents and students acting as consumers when making education choices, and businesses investing in their workforce. It means better aligning the untapped potential of our children with the skills they will need to develop and utilize the innovations that will drive our economy.  

Praise is undeserved

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

John Hoffmann recently wrote a letter praising Dorothea Farris and Dale Will for their hard work protecting wildlife and sensitive environments from development. He paints a pretty picture, where wildlife prospers under our admiring attention.

Come hear Horst

Aspen Daily News Staff Report

Editor’s note: The Felix Hell organ recital was listed in both the weekly Time Out Night Beat and daily ADN community calendars.

Editor:

'Trust but verify’ City Hall

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

The questions about “who knew what” with the Burlingame finances remain unanswered.

Assessor’s office is off base

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Editor:

I would like to bring to light the policy of the Pitkin County assessor to enter our homes without permission to gather photographic evidence.