New West Network

My Page: Sheri Venema

Western Headlines

The big buzz around the West this morning continues to be Tuesday's federal immigration raids at Swift meatpacking plants that netted 1,282 workers. Also hot news is the ongoing rescue attempt of three climbers on Oregon's Mount Hood, Wyoming's continuing uranium rush and the state's dwindling number of doctors.

Colorado newspapers are still examing the raids, which included the meatpacker’s headquarters in Greeley, from many angles. Swift tried for two weeks to block the raid, reports Christine Tatum in the Denver Post. Also in the Post, hundreds of bloggers are weighing in on the raids and the issue of illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, M.E. Sprengelmeyer and Joanne Kelley report in the Rocky Mountain News that federal agents are ticked off, claiming that Swift fired hundreds of employees before the raids to help them avoid deportation. [more]

Western headlines

Yesterday’s roundup of almost 1,300 workers at Swift & Co. meatpacking plants in Colorado, Utah and five other states is big news today in papers in the Rocky Mountain West. Federal officials are looking into who sold fake IDs to Swift workers, report Bruce Finley and Tom McGhee in the Denver Post. While agents loaded Latino workers into white vans in Greeley, angry crowds protested and a local priest showed up to pray with family members, reports Rosa Ramirez in the Rocky Mountain News.

In Utah, the raid at the Hyrum plant disrupted families and angered some Latino workers who were lined up as suspected illegals and later released, reports today’s Salt Lake Tribune.

In other news around the West: Denver might be good for Hillary, more trouble for smokers in Idaho, Schweitzer brother a concern in Montana, and foreclosures finally down in Colorado. [more]

Western Headlines

Immigration agents raid Swift meatpacking plants in in six states today, including Utah and Colorado. Also in Colorado, another preacher falls after a gay-sex scandal. Wyoming highways are falling apart, and in Bozeman the Ten Commandmants will be back. And two Montana football coaches may be moving on. For more headlines from the Rocky Mountain West, read on. [more]

Local Music Sound Off

Missoula musician John Floridis' 5th solo CD is full of soulful acoustic guitar versions of traditional Christmas tunes. Locally recorded at The Recording Center, "December's Quiet Joy" offers carols both sacred and secular.

Listen to his version of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" here.

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News Roundup

In the news around the region today: the end of a plan to drill Montana's Rocky Mountain Front (maybe), fights over wolves, Christmas trees and snowmobiles in Yellowstone. Read on for more headlines from around the Rocky Mountain West.

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Smoking in the West

Colorado leads the Rocky Mountain states in fighting teen smoking, according to a new report released today. Other Western states don't do such a good job, with Idaho making the poorest showing. Meanwhile, tobacco industry spending to market tobacco far outstrips what the states spend to fight it.
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News roundup

National parks could lose money from a new pass, uranium rush hits Colorado, and those weren't jammies Sen. Pete Domenici (R — N.M.) was wearing in Congress last week. Read on for headlines from around the Rocky Mountain West. [more]

Lights, Action, Parade

Swimming? S’mores? Bonfires? Sounds like summer camp, but it’s all part of Christmas in downtown Missoula this Saturday.

Plan now for a 13-hour orgy of fun, from cookie decorating to art projects, holiday movies, pony rides, photos with Santa, the annual Macy’s Parade of Lights and the tree lighting of the Christmas tree at Circle Square. [more]