Hazlehurst's Blog

The new boss’ speech, same as the old boss’ speech

There was a time when a 7:30 downtown breakfast hosted by the Economic Development Corp. and the Chamber of Commerce would have attracted swarms of media, a score of elected officials, and hundreds of local power brokers. There would have been bands, jugglers, fire-eaters, dancing bears and appropriately boring speeches … well, at least just [...]

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Austin swims, the Springs flounders

Our city’s leadership class has, as you may have noticed, a new Best Big Cool Friend – Austin, Texas. That relationship is not unlike that of Vince and Drama on “Entourage”– the devastatingly cool movie star (Adrian Grenier) who allows the hopeful loser (Kevin Dillon) to hang out with him. Our city’s power people would [...]

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More than a full day in D.C.

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, [...]

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

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, [...]

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