NOTE: Due to staff
and budget limitations, beginning December 2005 we will no longer be making
transcripts of Western Skies available. Transcripts of previous
editions remain available online.
Show Summary – Western Skies #130–
July 18, 2006
NEWSCAST
Village at Wolf Creek moves ahead - State losing out on gas taxes? - Lightning
strikes hikers [LISTEN]
WAR EFFORT MEANS BELT TIGHTENING AT FT. CARSON
Since September 11 of 2001, Congress has approved $432 billion for military
operations and other costs related to the war on terror. And now, all that
spending is starting to have impacts on U.S. Army bases around the world,
including Ft. Carson. About ten percent of civilian jobs on base are going
unfilled, and more cuts are expected in the future. [LISTEN]
ANALYSIS: WHICH PARTY STANDS TO GAIN THE MOST FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE?
The results of a poll for the Denver Post released Sunday say that immigration
is the state's top issue, surpassing the war, economics and the environment.
A lot of that probably had to do with the state legislature's special session
on immigration, which wrapped up the week before the poll was taken. So
what does that mean for the state's political parties, who are working hard
to win as many seats as possible in elections this fall? KRCC capitol bureau
reporter Bente Birkeland talked with a veteran political science professor
to get some perspective. [LISTEN]
UNITING FOR THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL
Last weekend more than 500 people came to Buena Vista to experience and
support the completion of the Continental Divide Trail, which stretches
3,100 miles from Canada to Mexico. [LISTEN]
BACKPACKING, CAMPING DECLINE IN POPULARITY
The outdoor retail industry recently classified backpacking and tent camping
as "heritage activites," and, in the Pacific northwest at least, the U.S.
Forest Service is planning to close dozens of campsites that just plain
don't get used much anymore. From the Northwest News Network, Tom Banse
reports. [LISTEN]
COMMENTARY: IDEAS THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT AT ASPEN'S "IDEAS FESTIVAL"
In the last week or two you may have been hearing a lot about political
bigwigs in Aspen for that town's annual ideas festival, people like Karl
Rove, Colin Powell and Bill Clinton. Well, Aspen resident Barry Smith says
he's full of ideas, but he never gets invited, despite not needing a plane
ticket to attend. [LISTEN]
DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE SHOW: Western
Skies 7-18-06.mp3 (7 MB)
SEND YOUR THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WESTERN SKIES TO: eric@krcc.org • COMMENTARY GUIDELINES (PDF)
