By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon of Solutions and Rebecca Jones of Education News Colorado
The federal government is cracking down on medical marijuana dispensaries in Colorado for the first time, today ordering 23 dispensaries near schools to shut down within 45 days or face criminal prosecution and seizure of their property.U.S. Attorney John Walsh sent warning letters to the unidentified dispensaries and said in a news release that many are closer than 1,000 feet to K-12 campuses.
“When the voters of Colorado passed the limited medical marijuana amendment in 2000, they could not …

For all of you who have supported I-News with your hearts, minds and pocketbooks, we thought you’d like to know what impact you’ve had.
You have helped in-depth news and information flourish in Colorado – and that has led to some significant and real differences in the lives of Coloradans. Here are some examples.

More doctors now disclose drug company payments after I-News helped Colorado Public Radio report hidden funding, allowing patients to make better-informed decisions.

Lawmakers changed tax law after I-News helped the Denver Post reveal that movie stars and developers were …

By Burt Hubbard
I-News Network
The coming federal health care reform will give a half million more Coloradans health insurance, but will not overwhelm the state’s health system, a new study released Monday found.
The study by the Colorado Health Institute found that the state will need up to 141 new primary-care doctors and other health professionals by 2016. That’s a 3% increase in the workforce to serve the expected 510,000 newly insured Coloradans.
The impact is a lot less than health officials had feared, said Michele Lueck, president of the Colorado Health Institute, …

By Burt Hubbard
I-News Network
Coloradans who felt their paychecks weren’t going as far this past decade were right.
The state saw a 9% decline in household buying power since 2000, according to an I-News analysis of newly released U.S. Census Bureau survey data.
The hit was widespread – felt in two of every three counties. One of the state’s richest counties – Pitkin County, which is home to Aspen – led the loss with a 17% drop in household buying power since 2000.
At the same time, poverty rates rose in every county, with …

I-News is hosting a free media law workshop, led by the executive legal staff of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
The workshop is specially designed for Colorado journalists working in digital media and is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
To attend, please RSVP to I-News director Laura Frank.
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011
Where: I-News offices at 1089 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204
Feel free to come for any or all of the sessions. Bring a sack lunch for the noontime session.
Schedule:
10:00-11:00       …

By Laura Frank and Burt Hubbard
I-News Network
One of every six Coloradans has no health insurance – a figure that has grown more than 20 percent in the past two years alone, a new statewide survey finds.
In addition, more workers lack health insurance and fewer Coloradans reported having a regular place to go when they’re sick or need health care advice.
“We’ve lost ground,” said Ned Calonge, who recently left his post as chief medical officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to become president and chief operating officer …

Project will give public better access to public information
 
Here at I-News, an important part of our mission is to turn complex data and information into compelling journalism people can use to make decisions in a democracy.
We’re thrilled to announce that we are joining with the Piton Foundation and The Denver Foundation in a project that will help us do even more of that. And today, we can announce that the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Community Information Challenge has awarded the project $336,000, a challenge grant that will …