Colorado Offering Safe Haven For Abortion And Transgender Care

A trio of health care bills enshrining access in Colorado to abortion and gender-affirming procedures and medications became law Friday as the Democrat-led state tries to make itself a safe haven for its neighbors, whose Republican leaders are restricting care.

The main goal of the legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis is to ensure people in surrounding states and beyond can go to Colorado to have an abortion, begin puberty blockers or receive gender-affirming surgery without fear of prosecution. Bordering states of Wyoming and Oklahoma have passed abortion bans, and Utah has severely restricted transgender care for minors.

Many states with abortion or transgender care bans are also criminalizing traveling to states for the purpose of accessing legal health care.
The contradicting laws are setting the stage for interstate disputes comparable to the patchwork of same-sex marriage laws that existed until 2015, or the 19th-century legal conflict over whether fugitive enslaved people in free states remained the property of slaveholders when they escaped.
The governor’s office was packed with lawmakers, advocates and health care providers, many of them women, for a ceremony with a celebratory feel that resembled a rally at times with loud applause and call-and-response chants.

“We see you and in Colorado, we’ve got your back,” Democratic state Sen. Julie Gonzales said during the ceremony.

With the new laws, Colorado joins Illinois as a progressive peninsula offering reproductive rights to residents of conservative states on three sides. Illinois abortion clinics now serve people living in a 1,800-mile (2,900-kilometer) stretch of 11 Southern states that have largely banned abortion.

Florida, temporarily a haven for abortion seekers in those states, outlawed abortions after 6 weeks. The bill, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday in a closed-door ceremony doesn’t go into effect right away.

California and New York are considering similar bills after the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down Roe. v. Wade, putting abortion laws in the hands of state legislatures.

Colorado’s southern neighbor, New Mexico, is also controlled by Democrats and signed a similar abortion protection bill earlier this year. It legally shields those who seek abortions or gender-affirming care, and those who provide the treatments, from interstate investigations.

Ashley Blinkhorn, a graduate student and activist who testified in favor of the bills during legislative hearings, said they will help people across the country, including possibly her recently married friends in their 30s and her queer friends in her former homes of Texas and Florida.

“It’s a real comfort to know that Colorado both will provide health care to them if they visit or if they move here,” she said.

Visits to Colorado’s abortion clinics have increased by about a third since the Supreme Court ruling and wait times for an appointment have increased from one or two days up to three weeks, according to state lawmakers. They also expect an increase in wait times for gender-affirming care.

Colorado House Minority Leader Mike Lynch said he feared the legislation would make Colorado an abortion destination that will attract “the vulnerable, the indigent and frightened minors from all over the country” and said the package of laws does not protect choice.

“They deny a new mother the choice to consider alternative options other than to end her pregnancy,” Lynch, a Republican from Wellington, said in a statement.

Karen Middleton, president of Cobalt Advocates, a Denver-based organization that pushes for abortion access, said most of the women traveling to Colorado since the Supreme Court ruling have come from Texas and Wyoming. The organization spent $220,000 to help women travel for abortions in Colorado last year, most of them from other states, up from $6,000 in 2021, she said. That is on top of money spent for the actual procedures.

Polis added the first layer of abortion protection a year ago, signing an executive order that bars state agencies from cooperating with out-of-state investigations regarding reproductive healthcare. One of the bills he signed Friday codifies that order into law. Like the New Mexico law, it blocks court summons, subpoenas and search warrants from states that decide to prosecute someone for having an abortion.

Colorado’s abortion law extends the protections to transgender patients dodging restrictions in their own states. Gender-affirming health care has been available for decades, but some states have recently barred minors from accessing it, even with parental consent. Hospitals in some of those states say gender-affirming surgeries are rarely recommended for minors anyway. Puberty blockers are more common.

Conservative states are pushing back. Idaho passed a bill that outlaws providing a minor with abortion pills and helping them leave the state to terminate a pregnancy without their parents’ consent.

The Colorado law comes as medication abortions are in limbo across the U.S. and mail-order prescriptions of a crucial abortion drug are virtually banned pending the outcome of a federal court case.

Also on Friday, Polis signed a measure that outlaws “deceptive practices” by anti-abortion centers, which are known to market themselves as abortion clinics but don’t actually offer the procedure. Instead, they attempt to convince patients to not terminate their pregnancies. The bill also prohibits sites from offering what’s called an abortion pill reversal — and unproven practice to reverse a medical abortion.

A third bill signed Friday requires large employers to offer coverage for the total cost of an abortion, with an exception for those who object on religious grounds. It exempts public employees because Colorado’s constitution forbids the use of public funds for abortions. ____

Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Associated Press writer Thomas Peipert in Denver also contributed to this report.

By JESSE BEDAYN and COLLEEN SLEVIN

President Biden, In Colorado, Designates His 1st New National Monument

LEADVILLE, Colo. (AP) — President Joe Biden designated the first national monument of his administration at Camp Hale, a World War II-era training site in this state, as he called for protecting “treasured lands” that tell the story of America.

The announcement is a boost to Colorado’s senior Democratic senator, Michael Bennet, who has for years advocated for the designation and is in a competitive re-election bid this November. The location is an alpine training site where U.S. soldiers prepared for battles in the Italian Alps during World War II.

“We’re doing it not just for today, but for all the ages,” Biden said, standing amid the rugged, sun-drenched backdrop flanked by mountains as far as the eye could see. The remote site was located off a winding road past an abandoned mine and an old mountain home. “It’s for the people of Colorado, but it also goes well beyond the people of Colorado. It’s for all the people across America and the world.”

The proclamation formally establishes the Camp Hale – Continental Divide National Monument, spanning more than 53,800 acres that will be protected and managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Many members of the 10th Mountain Division who trained at Camp Hale returned to Colorado after the war and helped create the state’s lucrative ski industry, and the site is now used for outdoor activities such as hiking and camping, and is home to rare wildlife.

“Soldiers in Camp Hale learned to scale rock, ski and survive, preparing for the war they were about to fight,” said Biden, who for Wednesday’s announcement was joined by two veterans from the 10th Mountain Division. He praised the troops’ “skill, strength and stamina that could’ve been only gained in a place like this.”

While most national monuments protect extraordinary natural landscapes, there are at least 12 other military sites designated as national monuments by other presidents.

Biden on Wednesday called his designation a permanent one that none of his future successors can overturn, although previous presidents have reduced the size of national monuments. The issue of whether a president can eliminate a national monument has not been resolved in court.

Donald Trump shrank two national monuments in southern Utah, a decision that tribes and environmental groups challenged in court. Those cases had been pending when Biden restored full protections for the monuments and expanded one of its boundaries. Biden also restored protections for an area off the New England coast that Trump had opened to commercial fishing.

In a separate move, the Biden administration also announced Wednesday it is pausing new mining and oil and gas drilling on 225,000 acres of public land in the Thompson Divide, a natural gas-rich area not far from Camp Hale.

Citing a need to protect wildlife, the Interior Department said it is initiating a review of a proposed 20-year withdrawal of the area from new leasing. Preexisting natural gas leases that account for less than 1% of active federal leases in Colorado won’t be affected.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, whose western Colorado district is home to the new restrictions, condemned the move as a “land grab” that would prevent domestic energy production.

The president’s stop in Colorado Wednesday is part of a three-state swing out West this week. Later Wednesday, Biden heads to California, where he will hold a pair of events promoting two of his most significant legislative achievements and headline a fundraiser for the House Democrats’ campaign arm.

Finally, Biden will stop in Oregon. where his party is in danger of losing the governor’s race, to rally Democrats. Early voting starts in Oregon and Colorado next week and is already underway in California.

He is notably staying away from states where his presence could hurt Democrats; on this trip he’s skipping Nevada and Arizona, where incumbent Democratic senators are battling tough reelection bids.

Democratic candidates have been far more likely to appear with Biden if it’s an official White House event, and that was the approach in Colorado, where Bennet stood alongside the president to tout the designation.

“You have excellent taste, Mr. President, for your administration’s first national monument designation,” Bennet said Wednesday. “Your designation means more Americans will come to appreciate the extraordinary history of this place — a history that goes back to before when Colorado was a state.”

Meanwhile, Bennet’s opponent, Republican Joe O’Dea, dismissed Biden’s visit as “a political stunt.”

“It’s not changing our economy. It’s not changing the price of gas,” O’Dea said in an interview of the Camp Hale designation. He added that while “Camp Hale’s a special place,” its preservation should have come through Congress. O’Dea called Biden’s unilateral action a “usurpation of power.” A far more sweeping conservation bill has been stalled in Congress due to opposition from Republicans.

O’Dea, a businessman with a moderate profile, has mounted a competitive bid against Bennet, who has served in the Senate since 2009. National Republicans believe he is among the party’s best recruits this cycle.

Still, the race still remains somewhat of a reach for Republicans, who see better offensive opportunities in states like Nevada, Georgia and Arizona. Still, the Senate Leadership Fund, the primary super PAC dedicated to electing Republicans to the Senate, made its first investment of the cycle in Colorado last week by sending $1.25 million to O’Dea’s super PAC.

Travelore Weather Alert: 230 Flights Canceled At Denver International Airport

230 flights canceled, hundreds delayed by 1 hour, 45 minutes

By Kirk Mitchell and Jesse Paul
The Denver Post

Denver International Airport has canceled 230 flights and hundreds of other flights have been delayed by nearly two hours, officials say.

The snowstorm has dropped 5 inches of new snow at DIA and another 3 to 5 inches of snow are expected until the end of the storm at about 1 p.m., according to an 8 a.m. news release by DIA spokeswoman Mindy Crane.

Gusting winds and reduced visibility are adding to the delays. The average delay is about 1 hour and 45 minutes per flight, Crane said. Nearly one out of every six flights or 15 percent have been canceled, she said.

Patrick McNamee is heading to Chicago on a business trip, but so far has been facing mounting delays as he and other passengers wait in a plane stuck on the airport's tarmac.

"We got away from the gate and pulled up to the de-ice pad and we've been sitting here for over an hour," McNamee said in a phone interview from his seat aboard an American Airlines flight.

McNamee said he's been told the runway has to be periodically cleared, which is holding back takeoffs.

"The delays are just building and building and building," he said.

Despite the heavy snow, most flights at DIA have not been canceled, Crane pointed out.

"We're keeping aircraft moving," he said.

Pena Boulevard was briefly closed in both directions at about 5:20 a.m. because of a traffic accident, said Heath Montgomery, DIA spokesman.

That accident was cleared but caused additional backups as snow plows cleared the roads. Motorists should expect winter conditions and plan for extra travel time out to the airport.

"People should definitely check their flights. That's extremely important," Crane said.

Passengers can check their flight status with their airline or atwww.FlyDenver.com.

Snow-removal crews were deployed overnight and remain active for the duration of the snow, Crane said.

Passengers can check their flight status with their airline or atwww.FlyDenver.com.

Snow-removal crews were deployed overnight and remain active for the duration of the snow, Crane said.

DIA has more than 250 pieces of airside snow removal equipment, 110 pieces of equipment for landside parking lots and roadways, and more than 500 trained snow-removal personnel.

The equipment being deployed for this storm includes blowers, brooms, blades, plows, runway sanders, 4,000 gallon chemical trucks, loaders with box plows and snow melters, the news release says.

The airlines are expected to be in full de-icing operations, so passengers should expect to spend a little extra time on the aircraft prior to departure. The average de-icing time is approximately 16 minutes, but can vary based on the type of aircraft.

Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, kmitchell@denverpost.com or @kirkmitchell or denverpost.com/coldcases

Common Whitewater Rafting Misconceptions Identified And Answered

Veteran Rafting Outfitter Western River Expeditions 
Says Don’t Let Fear Interfere
With Lifetime Adventure on a River 
 

With another successful season now in the books, Western River Expeditions (http://www.westernriver.com/) has turned its attention to 2016 and the on-going challenge of attracting first timers to the sport of river rafting. What they have discovered over their 50+ years of outfitting is that simple fear of the unknown often hinders enjoyment of one of the best experiences in life – like river rafting. Over decades of dealing with client concerns and misconceptions, the nation’s leading river company has compiled common questions while offering suggestions to assuage doubts and fears.

Here are some of the top questions asked by first-time river rafters:

If camping is part of a rafting vacation, how rough will it be? It’s really deluxe catered camping on the river. For example, on a Grand Canyon rafting adventure guests sleep on comfortable cots in freshly laundered sleeping bags and sheets in roomy tents. A portable toilet and hand wash system are set up each day in camp in a secluded location that assures privacy.

Going through the whitewater rapids will I fall out of the boat? Whitewater can range from a ripple to a huge splash. The 5 Day Green River – Desolation Canyon trip in Utah is more about playful rapids, petroglyphs and outlaw hideouts than challenges. Here guests (wearing certified PFD, i.e. lifejacket) can paddle a two-person inflatable kayak or relax in an oar boat while Western’s guides take guests down river. Class I to III fun-filled rapids make this Green River rafting trip the ideal getaway for a first time river adventure. The minimum age is just five.

Where and how do I take care of nature’s business?  As stated earlier, camp bathrooms are open air, sanitary, private and scenic. However, one adventure in Oregon, 3 or 4 Day Rogue River Lodge to Lodge, delivers a perfect blend of wildlife and wilderness with the cozy charm of cabin comforts like private rooms and bathrooms. The minimum age is five. No camping required.

I’m not a really great swimmer. How do I deal with that? You are in good company as many rafters aren’t great swimmers. The life jacket and ample hand and foot holds provide security and support on the water; however it is important that you’re at least able to propel yourself through the water with your arms and legs while wearing a life jacket. Another option is to do a package that offers mild rafting as just one of the experiences. Western River’s sister company Moab Adventure Center offers theSouthwest Sampler – Colorado River, Utah, a multi-sport vacation package for guests to raft (2 day trip on very easy stretch of the Colorado River), hike and tour Arches National Park with a sunset Hummer 4x4 adventure to boot.

Am I fit enough for a raft vacation? What’s too young? What’s too old?The wilderness around may be rugged, but that doesn’t mean guests have to be. A trip popular for ages six to 86 is the 5 Day Main Salmon River, Idaho. More moderate whitewater on this stretch of a mile-deep canyon makes this river trip a perfect introduction to rafting and camping without sacrificing any of the grandeur. Oar boats allow guests to just ride along letting the guide do the muscle work while enjoying the passing scenery.

Do I need to plan an entire week for a rafting get-away? Day trips can be ideal for a first-time river rafter. The Utah: Colorado Full Day comes with a riverside BBQ lunch at Red Cliffs Ranch and a choice of boats: a spot in a paddle raft or a two-person inflatable kayak. California: South Fork of the American River satisfies thrill-seekers and families alike. Up in Montana there’s the Flathead River which offers half, full and multi-day trips bordering Glacier National Park. In West Virginia, a half- or full-day trip on the New Rivercan be either challenging or calm, depending on the stretch of river selected.

“The important thing is to not be bullied by your fear of rafting,” says Brandon Lake, CMO of Western River Expeditions. “Rafting can be a life-changing experience for many first-timers willing to set their anxieties aside.” The next important thing may be to book your trip now for the 2016 season. Lake reports limited space already in the Grand Canyon with other destinations looking very popular as well.

For a copy of Western River Expeditions’ 2016 catalog, questions, availability and reservations call toll-free: 866.904.1160 (Local: 801.942.6669), or visit:http://www.westernriver.com/.

About Western River Expeditions
Western River Expeditions is an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, with operations and offices in Moab, Utah and Fredonia, Arizona. Annually from March through October it escorts more people down rivers on professionally guided rafting trips in Utah, Idaho and Arizona than any other company. It is the largest licensed outfitter in the Grand Canyon and the largest tour provider in Moab, UT, through its division Moab Adventure Center (http://www.moabadventurecenter.com/).

Western River Expeditions, providing Grand Canyon rafting, Utah rafting, and Idaho rafting trips, was founded in 1961 by Colorado River rafting pioneer Jack Currey. It has been named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” by the editors ofNational Geographic Adventure magazine. The company is the proud recipient of the "Best of State" award through Utah’s Premier Recognition and Awards Program for nine consecutive years.

Follow Western River Expeditions:
On Facebook:           http://www.facebook.com/WesternRiverExpeditions
On Twitter:                https://twitter.com/WesternRiver
On You Tube:           http://www.youtube.com/user/bestraftingvacations?
On Pinterest:             http://pinterest.com/westernriver/

OpenTable's 2015 Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants In America Revealed

After another long winter, OpenTable, the world's leading provider of online restaurant reservations, today unveiled the 2015 Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in America. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 5 million restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 20,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

New restaurants made a strong showing in this year's awards, including 42 that opened in 2014 and one as recently as 2015. The complete list features award-winners in 25 states and Washington, D.C., and includes Gato in New York, RPM Steak in Chicago, and Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis. California boasts the greatest number of winning restaurants with 22, followed by Florida and New York with 13 each. Illinois and Texas have 11 and seven, respectively. Nevada has five winning restaurants, and Tennessee and Georgia have four. Louisiana, Minnesota, and South Carolina claim two winners apiece.

Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. are represented as well.
Global fare menus are fashionable, with standout restaurants serving Asian, Basque, Korean, Latin, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Polynesian dishes, among others. American cuisine, sushi, and steak are also popular.

"Whether they're new or well established, there's an intoxicating buzz in and around each of these restaurants," said Caroline Potter, OpenTable Chief Dining Officer. "With inspired concepts, energetic atmospheres, and incredible food and drink, these hot spots are where diners will experience delight and excitement in the year ahead."

The Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in America are generated from more than 5 million restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between March 1, 2014, and February 28, 2015. All restaurants with a minimum number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then sorted according to a score calculated from each restaurant's average rating in the "hot spot" category along with a minimum "overall" rating.

Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in America according to OpenTable diners.

2015 Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in America

*Opened in 2014
**Opened in 2015

Adega Modern Mediterranean* – Cleveland, Ohio
Andrea's – Las Vegas, Nevada
B.B. King's Blues Club – Memphis, Tennessee
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits* – San Diego, California
Bâoli Miami – Miami Beach, Florida
Barton G. The Restaurant* – Los Angeles, California
Bathtub Gin – New York, New York
The Bazaar by José Andrés at SLS Hotel South Beach – Miami Beach, Florida
Beauty and Essex – New York, New York
Bestia – Los Angeles, California
BO-beau kitchen + roof tap* – Long Beach, California
Buccan – Palm Beach, Florida
Buffalo Proper Plate & Pour* – Buffalo, New York
Cantina La Veinte* – Miami, Florida
Catch – New York, New York
Chino Latino – Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Church Key – West Hollywood, California
Ciccio's / Water – Tampa, Florida
Cleo-SLS* – Las Vegas, Nevada
Commissary at The Line Hotel* – Los Angeles, California
Cooks & Soldiers* – Atlanta, Georgia
Cork & Pig Tavern #2 – Odessa, Texas
Dirty French* – New York, New York
do Restaurant at the View – Atlanta, Georgia
Drunken Dragon* – Miami Beach, Florida
Edmund's Oast* – Charleston, South Carolina
El Camino Mexican Soul Food & Tequila Bar* – Delray Beach, Florida
El Vez – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fat Rice – Chicago, Illinois
Fig & Olive* – Chicago, Illinois
Fixe Austin* – Austin, Texas
Gato* – New York, New York
Geronimo – New Haven, Connecticut
Girl & the Goat – Chicago, Illinois
Gjelina – Venice, California
Graffiato* – Richmond, Virginia
The Grey* – Savannah, Georgia
Grille 401 – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
HG SPLY CO – Dallas, Texas
The Hudson Room* – Peekskill, New York
Hydraulic Hearth* – Buffalo, New York
Ironside Fish & Oyster* – San Diego, California
Juju Asian Tapas + Bar** – Durham, North Carolina
Juniper & Ivy* – San Diego, California
Katana – West Hollywood, California
Kettner Exchange* – San Diego, California
Koi – West Hollywood, California
Kona Grill* – El Paso, Texas
La Esquina – New York, New York
The Lark – Santa Barbara, California
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar – Boston, Massachusetts
Matador Room-The Miami Beach EDITION* – Miami Beach, Florida
Mercantile Dining and Provision* – Denver, Colorado
Momotaro* – Chicago, Illinois
MUA – Oakland, California
The Nest – Indian Wells, California
O-Ku – Charleston, South Carolina
Odd Duck – Austin, Texas
OSO* – Sonoma, California
Parachute* – Chicago, Illinois
Pitch Coal-Fire Pizzeria – Omaha, Nebraska
Prohibition Restaurant & Speakeasy* – Miami, Florida
Pump* – West Hollywood, California
The Purple Room – Palm Springs, California
Red Ginger – Traverse City, Michigan
Republique – Los Angeles, California
RoCA* – Des Moines, Iowa
Rocco's Tacos & Tequila Bar – Orlando, Florida
Rose. Rabbit. Lie. at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas* – Las Vegas, Nevada
RPM Italian – Chicago, Illinois
RPM Steak* – Chicago, Illinois
Shakou Sushi – Libertyville, Illinois
Sinema* – Nashville, Tennessee
Social Southern Table and Bar – Lafayette, Louisiana
Spoon and Stable* – Minneapolis, Minnesota
STK-NYC-Meatpacking – New York, New York
STK-The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada
STK-Washington, D.C.* – Washington, D.C.
Sub Zero Vodka Bar – St. Louis, Missouri
SumoMaya Mexican-Asian Kitchen – Scottsdale, Arizona
Sunda – Chicago, Illinois
Sur Restaurant – West Hollywood, California
Sushi POP – Oviedo, Florida
The Sutler* – Nashville, Tennessee
Tao Downtown – New York, New York
Tao Restaurant and Nightclub – Las Vegas, Nevada
Teak on the Hudson* – Hoboken, New Jersey
Three Dots and a Dash – Chicago, Illinois
Three Muses – New Orleans, Louisiana
Toku Modern Asian – Manhasset, New York
TORO – New York, New York
The Tropicale – Palm Springs, California
Uchi – Houston, Texas
Ulele* – Tampa, Florida
UMI – Atlanta, Georgia
Union 50* – Indianapolis, Indiana
Untitled – Chicago, Illinois
Virago – Nashville, Tennessee
Vitello's – Studio City, California
Whiskey Cake* – San Antonio, Texas