T'dad Talk

T'dad Talk - September 23, 2020

September 23, 2020 Cameron Wayne
T'dad Talk
T'dad Talk - September 23, 2020
Show Notes Transcript

Today in the news, applications are now being accepted for the commission responsible for redistricting the state’s Congressional and House districts and in the world, Russia touts their new grandiose nuclear-powered icebreaker freightliner ship so stay tuned.

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Another sunny start to the day today with highs in the lower 80s and a slight chance of showers as we move into the evening. Tonight, we’ll drop to lows around 50 degrees. 

For Thursday, sunny again with highs in the mid 80s.

Now, here’s the news

At the regular work session for Trinidad City Council on Monday, September 21 Michelle Gardner with the Colorado Neighborhood Coalition gave a presentation to city council, staff, and the public regarding the legislative and congressional redistricting happening this year in Colorado because of the census.

The maps currently in place were adopted in 2011 and Gardner stated that the maps weren’t drawn fairly when the districts were made. In 2018, Colorado voters approved Amendments Y and Z to the Colorado Constitution, which fundamentally reforms Colorado’s redistricting.

A politically balanced and independent commission will oversee map development and approval and the maps themselves will be drawn by nonpartisan, professional staff and not party leaders.

For 2021, the Congressional and House districts will have to be fundamentally adjusted to equalize the population and the state will be adding a Congressional district which will bring the state’s total up to eight instead of seven.

Each district having an equal amount of population is why some districts may cover more land area to make up for it, Gardner clarified. 

Another important aspect to fair redistricting is ensuring census counts are accurate. This is just one more reason completing the census is imperative and Gardner expressed that anyone who has not yet filled out their census should do so post haste, while also encouraging friends and family to do the same. 

With the process already underway, Gardner said the group was looking for people to get involved on the commission with the hopes of a total of five to six thousand applicants across the state, with an added hope that citizens of rural Colorado will also jump into action. 

Mayor Phil Rico added that there were no requirements in regards to levels of education that will be looked at and also encouraged local citizens to get involved in an important civil event. The biggest requirements are to be a registered voter, have been affiliated with your party for the last five years, don’t serve as an elected official, and have to have voted in the 2016 and 2018 election.

Gardner added that maximizing the number of fair-minded applicants who are committed to adhering to the state constitution is imperative and a random selection process would be used to winnow down the number of applicants to a manageable pool of 300 Republicans, 300 Democrats, and 450 Unaffiliates. 

Anyone interested in applying can go to www.coloradoneighborhoodcoalition.org and sign up to receive an application.

Russia's new flagship nuclear-powered icebreaker, said to be the world's largest and most powerful, left a shipyard on Tuesday headed for the Arctic. The massive ship is the physical representation of President Vladimir Putin's ambition to increase Russia's presence in the remote region.

The "Arktika" (Arctic) icebreaker finally sailed from St. Petersburg — after a three-year delay caused by supply chain and technical hurdles — and headed for the northern port of Murmansk, where it will be stationed.

The two-week journey will be the vessel's first test in icy conditions, and make it the first in a series of planned additions to Russia's fleet of icebreakers. 

The Arktika is more than 570 feet long, as tall as a 15-storey building, and designed to smash through a layer of ice 9 feet deep. While Russia is the only nation to have nuclear-powered civilian ships right now, China is catching up, developing an icebreaker of very similar proportions — with similar ambitions to open up the Arctic.

The ship is crucial to Moscow's efforts to develop a clear path for freight traffic along the Northern Sea Route, which runs from Murmansk to the Bering Strait near Alaska. Russia hopes the route can become a regular commercial transport link between Asia and Europe.

Last year, Putin said the country's Arctic fleet would operate at least 13 heavy-duty icebreakers, most of them powered by nuclear reactors. Boosting Russia's presence and commercial potential in the resource-rich Arctic region has been a priority of Kremlin policy during Putin's rule.

In recent years Russia has actively pushed for dominance in the Arctic, where its main rivals are Canada, the U.S., Norway and China.

Not too much happening today, but Mount Carmel is still offering their online virtual classes. To see what’s up today and get access to the link, visit their webpage, MountCarmelCenter.org.