Arvada City Councilwoman Lorraine Anderson made it official this week: She’s running for re-election to the District 3 council seat.
While the folks in Golden probably don’t have her high on their Christmas card lists, Anderson has been an outspoken but effective councilwoman for Arvada — and outspoken is just the way The Insider likes its elected officials.
Sometimes abrasive but never a prisoner of political rhetoric, Anderson is known across the region not only for her frankness but her work with the Rocky Flats Coalition of Local Governments and the Denver Regional Council of Governments. Among her the accomplishments with those two organizations are the creation of the Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge.
In her re-election announcement, Anderson also touted her work on the Van Bibber Flood Control Project, the completion of the 72nd Avenue and Wadsworth by-Pass Grade Separation and the Two Ponds Wildlife Refuge.
It’s unlikely Anderson will be unseated this November, but she does face a formidable challenge as Arvada and the Colorado Department of Transportation try to develop a beltway solution. She’ll need more than her candor to tackle that one.
He’s no Abraham Lincoln
But the bearded Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Paschall does have his eye on higher office, namely the Congressional District 7 seat. Problem is, Colorado and the nation in general have not looked too kindly on those with whiskers over the years.
Well, the beard is no more. Does this mean Paschall’s chances of taking CD7 have increased?
The Insider is taking a wait-and-see attitude. We want to see what the clean-shaven Paschall looks like first.
Herbie fully loaded?
OK, so The Insider doesn’t know Herb Rubenstein, a Golden resident and Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District. Nevertheless, one can’t help but feel bad for piling on Rubenstein, who has already been picked on quite nicely by the folks over at Colorado Pols.
But then The Insider reads his Web site again. It’s just too easy.
Taking a page, sort of, from Florida Senator Bob Graham (who was known to document everything he did, every day while in office), Rubenstein keeps his supporters and curious Web browsers up to speed on his daily activities at www.herbrubensteinforcongress.com.
Among the highlights (taken verbatim):
July 5 — Rubenstein meets with Ken Reed to develop a future platform to improve the physical fitness of our youth and adults
July 1 — Rakhi Voria joins Rubenstein for Congress Campaign as summer intern. The previous three campaigns where she has volunteered are: Beauprez for Congress, Owens for Governor, and Bush/Cheney for President. Her joining the campaign confirms the broad appeal the Rubenstein for Congress Campaign is having across party lines.
June 28 — Rubenstein receives certification as a trained firearms operator from Jim Moore, Certified Instructor
June 27 — Rubenstein meets with Aurora Chamber of Commerce and receives 1.5 hour briefing on the future economic development of this region. Rubenstein coins the term “Aurora Techway” to designate the area from the Denver Tech Center up to the Denver Airport that will serve as one of the future economic engines for the State of Colorado
June 20 — Peter Searle joins Rubenstein for Congress Campaign as Director of Web Intelligence Services
It ain’t claiming you invented the Internet, but “Aurora Techway?” Good luck with that. And The Insider doesn’t even want to know what the Director of Web Intelligence Services does but it sounds frightening.
The Insider needs you. Have an item you want to share? Catch someone doing something amusing or even questionable around town? Drop The Insider a line at insider@milehighnews.com.