Air Force Academy critic Mikey Weinstein debated evangelical Lawyer Jay Sekulow at the Academy on April 24th, 2007.

Click the link below to hear the entire debate.

Wienstein, who is an academy graduate is the founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. He has sued the Academy over what he says is officially sanctioned proselytizing of non-Christian cadets. Last October a federal judge threw the suit out. Wienstein has promised to appeal.

Jay Sekulow is the Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, originally founded by Pat Robertson. The Christian Post Newspaper has named him one of the “ten most influential kingmakers for the Republican party.

Sekulow and Weinstein debated the appropriate balance between religious freedom and official neutrality in the military.

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NEWS RELEASE – OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2007

Colorado National Guard troops and local emergency crews have safely rescued four stranded school buses from tonight’s storm along Highway 94 in eastern El Paso County. The buses were stranded around 3:30 p.m. today.

Sixty-two children, from elementary through high school, are all safely sheltered in private homes in the area, where they are expected to remain until morning. Another 115 people are in shelters in El Paso County.

El Paso County sheriff’s officials, El Paso Search and Rescue teams and Colorado National Guard troops estimate another 30 vehicles are still stranded near the town of Yoder. But many of those motorists are beginning to resume travel on their own as extreme weather conditions moderate.

There are no known injuries from the storm.

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Colorado Springs city council voted unanimously today (Tue., April 24) to support a festival celebrating diversity.

The vote came two weeks after a pair of council members expressed concern that city sponsorship of a downtown cultural festival this summer could be seen as the city endorsing groups lobbying for pro-homosexual causes.

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The war in Iraq and the changing political landscape in the American west are two topics very much in the headlines lately. Tonight (Tue., 4/24) an expert on both topics speaks at Colorado College. Alan Simpson served 18 years as a U.S. senator from Wyoming, and remains a respected voice in the Republican party. He also was a member of the Iraq Study Group, which in December issued its report, which became a best seller and is influencing the debate in Washington about the war.
We had a chance to talk to Simpson earlier this week about the Iraq study group, and his views on the recent successes of the Democratic party in the American West.

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Simpson speaks tonight at 7:30 at Colorado College in Olin, 1030 N. Nevada Ave.

Colorado Springs’ city council will vote tomorrow (Tue., April 24) on whether to support a downtown cultural festival this summer. At least two members of council have expressed distaste for sponsoring an event where gay groups might be given a forum to express political views.

Two weeks ago the Springs Gazette quoted councilmember Daryl Glenn questioning whether the festival would give voice to pro-gay marriage views, and councilmember Margaret Radford was quoted as saying, “When a large portion of this community does not support gay and lesbian viewpoints, I don’t see us putting tax dollars into supporting that direction.”

A group called the Colorado Springs Diversity Forum is sponsoring the event, scheduled for August 18. Its intention is to celebrate the many cultures, talents, tastes and traditions in the city. And the forum is asking the City Council to sponsor the event, in part because that would free it from paying the approximately $4,700 in fees the city charges to provide services to non-city sponsored events. The city staff has recommended sponsoring the event and waiving the fees.

But after city council members questioned whether the city should sponsor the cultural festival over gay issues, a spirited debate erupted in local newspapers’ op-ed sections, and at least one local non-profit group, the Citizens Project, is encouraging its members to come to tomorrow’s city council meeting to lobby for city sponsorship of the event. Newly elected city council member Jan Martin is a member of the Citizens Project board.

The Springs City Council is scheduled to take up the cultural festival issue tomorrow at 1:00pm.

Air Force Academy critic Mikey Weinstein will debate Evangelical Lawyer Jay Sekulow at the Academy tomorrow.

Wienstein, who is an academy graduate is the founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. He has sued the Academy over what he says is officially sanctioned proselytizing of non-Christian cadets. Last October a federal judge threw the suit out. Wienstein has promised to appeal.

Jay Sekulow is the Chief Counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, originally founded by Pat Robertson. The Christian Post Newspaper has named him one of the Ten most influential Kingmakers for the Republican party.
Sekulow and Weinstein will debate the appropriate balance between religious freedom and official neutrality in the military. The debate, which is open to the public, happens at 5:00 tomorrow afternoon in Arnold Hall at the Academy.

Because of limited parking and seating, those planning to attend should arrive no later than 4:30 p.m. The general public is encouraged to enter via the Academys North Entrance (I-25 Exit 156-B) and park at the Cadet Field House. Shuttle bus transportation will be provided to and from the debate venue.

This week lawmakers will debate Governor Bill Ritter’s plan to freeze property taxes to help fund public schools. Republicans call it a tax hike because property taxes are scheduled to go down next year, and even some Democrats aren’t sold on the idea. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

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For the past 30 years, Stephen Scott, a professor at Colorado College, has been composing and performing some of the most innovative contemporary classical music in the world. Tomorrow night in Packard Hall on the CC campus, Scott and his Bowed Piano Ensemble will perform a variety of pieces in celebration of the anniversary. Noel Black has more.

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New installment of Springs Culture Cast. More at their website [Springs Culture Cast].

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Somehow area smartypants Noel Black obtained the keys to KRCC and made this show. We don’t know what it means.

Among the things Noel brings us this week:

Goat slaughter, chocolate bacon and an episode of Microbe World dealing with hospital acquired diarrhea. There’s a million dollar phone call to the 14th century.

Oh, and a commentary on scrota.

Enjoy!

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The Big Something premieres on KRCC Sunday, April 29th at 10:30am, right after Western Skies.