Hazlehurst's Blog » 2009

More than a full day in D.C.

30. September 2009

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It’s been a day to make one’s head spin. Let’s see: two senators; three members of the House; and half a dozen staffers, lobbyists and assorted power people. Some observations. Just as Fitzgerald famously said, “The very rich are different from you and I,” powerful people in Washington are different from powerful people elsewhere. For one thing, [...]

Bennet saying all the right things

30. September 2009

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It’s 7:30 a.m. Do you know where your community leaders are? Having breakfast at the Pew Charitable Trust and waiting for Sen. Michael Bennet to show – and suddenly he’s there. Bennet devoted much of his time to Washington’s current obsession, health care. He made it clear that the administration is committed to moving forward [...]

Salazar, the Dept of the Interior, the interior of his office and the strained Springs, Pueblo relationship

30. September 2009

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If ever you wondered why Ken Salazar gave up the power and perks of the U.S. Senate to serve the Obama administration as secretary of the interior, I suggest that you wangle an opportunity to visit our distinguished native son in his Washington office. Forget the extraordinary responsibilities of the position – the national parks, [...]

Opening day – a ‘Who’s Who’ and thoughts about being trapped in the White House

29. September 2009

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Yesterday, the opening day of the chamber’s annual Washington Legislative Action Mission, chamber president Dave Csintyan welcomed the participants who had gathered in the offices of the Pew Charitable Trust. The gathering was a ‘Who’s Who’ of not only the Colorado Springs business community, but of almost every community of interest in Colorado Springs. Colorado [...]

USOC inks NYC office lease

22. September 2009

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The Sports Business Journal reported yesterday that the United States Olympic Committee moved in to new office space yesterday-no, not into the still-unfinished building at 27 South Tejon, but into a cozy little suite at 521 5th Avenue…in New York City. And no, it’s not all of the USOC-just the marketing department. From the SBJ: [...]

Freedom bankruptcy may cause local FCC problem

21. September 2009

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Here’s yet another twist in the convoluted saga of the bankruptcy filing of the Gazette’s parent, Freedom Communications. In the palmy days of yore, JP Morgan Chase, Freedom’s largest secured creditor, apparently had an insatiable appetite for short-term debt issued by now-forlorn media titans. The bank is also the lead secured creditor of two other [...]

Bankrupt Gazette parent to sell Arizona newspapers

18. September 2009

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As I speculated, the Gazette’s bankrupt parent company, Freedom Communications, has begun the process of shedding assets. The East Valley Tribune reported yesterday: “Freedom Communications, parent company of the East Valley Tribune, has asked a bankruptcy court judge to allow the company to hire a broker in order to pursue the possible sale of the [...]

Freedom to sell off properties?

16. September 2009

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Our sister publication, the Arizona Capitol Times, reported yesterday that just prior to declaring bankruptcy, Freedom Communications made a last-ditch effort to sell most, or all, of their Arizona pubs to a group of local investors. As Matt Bunk reported, “It’s not clear whether any agreement is under consideration now – there was a deadline [...]

Goodbye, Jerry

10. September 2009

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The “great recession,” as pundits now refer to our ongoing economic woes, has had predictable consequences in our city. We’ve seen businesses downsize or close, government revenues contract and neighbors pack up and move away. But it was nevertheless surprising to hear Councilman Jerry Heimlicher announce that, five months after having been elected to a [...]

Archive | September, 2009