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Counseling psychologists have been at the forefront of social justice and advocacy efforts in the discipline of psychology. Despite these foci, few graduate training programs in psychology offer formal courses or training in advocacy, social justice, and public policy. To develop and fill a pipeline of professionals involved in social justice and advocacy efforts, graduate training programs in psychology must expose and prepare students to these areas. The purpose of the current paper is to describe how faculty within the professional psychology program at the University of Denver incorporate advocacy, public policy, and social justice education and training into their program. We describe how the program climate and curriculum were created to meet these training needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Groundwater is a critical input to agricultural production across the globe. Current groundwater pumping rates frequently exceed recharge, often by a substantial amount, leading to groundwater depletion and potential declines in agricultural profits over time. As a result, many regions reliant on irrigated agriculture have proposed policies to manage groundwater use. Even when gains from aquifer management exist, there is little information about how policies affect individual producers sharing the resource. In this paper, we investigate the variability of groundwater management policy impacts across heterogeneous agricultural producers. To measure these impacts, we develop a hydroeconomic model that captures the important role of well capacity, productivity of water, and weather uncertainty. We use the model to simulate the impacts of groundwater management policies on producers in the High Plains aquifer of eastern Colorado and compare outcomes to a no‐policy baseline. The management policies considered include a pumping fee, a quantity restriction, and an irrigated acreage fee. We find that well capacity and soil type affect policy impacts but in ways that can qualitatively differ across policy type. Model results have important implications for the distributional impacts and political acceptability of groundwater management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetically modified foods (GM) have been included in the food chain in the United States for almost three decades. The nations of the European Union, as well as several other countries, have adopted a policy of mandatory labeling of GM ingredients in food, while the United States has followed a policy of voluntary disclosure. Colorado Proposition 105 called for the implementation of mandatory labeling of food with GM ingredients for sale in the state. This paper assesses the literature regarding national policies toward GM food labeling in the United States and other nations. It compares the favorable and negative arguments about GM labeling. The results of the 2014 referendum in Colorado are examined as to the economic selfinterest in the form of median household income and agricultural intensity affecting the outcome of the election. Additionally, the political orientation centered on health-related concerns, environmental concerns, and the rights of consumers to product information in relation to the Colorado Proposition 105 were tested. A multiple regression analysis strongly suggests the impact of these independent variables on the election outcome. The implications for policy changes regarding mandatory GM food labeling in the United States are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the beliefs and framing strategies of interest groups during a period of policy change and the factors explaining policy change. We develop propositions to explore questions concerning policy change primarily from the advocacy coalition framework as well as from other theorie. The propositions are tested by examining the promulgation of a Colorado regulation requiring the disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. Using coded data of documents published by organizations involved in the rulemaking process, we find divergence between industry and environmental groups on their beliefs concerning hydraulic fracturing, as well as their portraying themselves and each other as heroes, victims, and villains, but some convergence on their more specific beliefs concerning disclosure of chemicals. Interviews point to the importance of policy entrepreneurs, timing, a negotiated agreement, and learning for explaining policy change. The findings provide both theoretical and methodological insights into how and why policy changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric utilities have typically enjoyed a close and cooperative relationship with the state regulatory bodies that oversee them. In 2001, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission mandated that the largest Colorado utility build a wind power plant as part of its conventional generating capacity, despite the utility's vigorous objections. Local environmental groups, intervening in a form of rule making called Integrated Resource Planning, succeeded in overturning regulatory capture. This paper explains this anomalous case and highlights the role of knowledge and learning in the outcome. The case shows the opportunities and limitations of using contested technical knowledge to push for institutional learning. The case also suggests the importance of repeated policy processes. Wind energy advocates perceived that they had acquired participation equity, ownership in the process akin to Kingdon's “softening up,” which led policy makers to take their arguments more seriously, opening up the possibility of institutional learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of visitors to public recreation lands are making it more difficult for federal, state, and local land management agencies to provide quality recreational experiences and simultaneously sustain natural resources. One step recreation managers can take to address this situation is to establish and implement a carrying capacity in their area, yet managers are often hesitant to establish carrying capacities because of perceived public resistance to these policy decisions. Making the public aware of the need for a carrying capacity system at a particular area is an important step in gaining their support and compliance. There are a variety of justifications that land managers can use to explain to the public why they have chosen to set a recreation capacity limit. This paper evaluates public acceptance of alternative justifications for setting capacities. Eight justification concepts were identified: 1) public safety, 2) sustainability for future generations, 3) natural resource limitations, 4) infrastructure/facility design, 5) quality of the visitor experience, 6) existing regulations, 7) agency capability, and 8) character of the area. The study was conducted at the U.S. Forest Service's Arapaho National Recreation Area (ANRA), located adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Data were obtained from on-site surveys of 409 visitors. Visitors were asked to rate how acceptable various reasons were for justifying canning capacities. These reasons were evaluated and then grouped according to the justification concepts they represented to create eight measurement scales. These eight measurement scales represent the eight justification concepts mentioned above. The level of acceptability for justifications was then evaluated across demographics, trip characteristics, and other selected variables. The level of acceptability was predicted to vary among the individual statements and their corresponding scales. The study's results showed that all eight justification scales and their corresponding statements were acceptable, although the level of acceptability caried. Results also showed that six of the 13 variables examined in the study had a significant influence on the level of acceptability for justifications. These six variables were gender, type of campground stayed at (high vs. low amenity), time of stay (weekend vs. weekday), education, stance on the issue of carrying capacity, and concern that the number of visitors to the ANRA would affect ones enjoyment of the area. This study has important implications for recreation planners and managers, interpretation and public relation specialists, policy makers, local communities and the tourism industry. The results indicate that the public recognizes and supports multiple reasons for setting recreation carrying capacities. The findings also provide a survey instrument that measures acceptability for carrying capacity justifications as well as information that managers and communication professionals can use to develop more effective messages in an effort to solicit support for recreation carrying capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that postmodern planning favours increasing informalization of traditional controls over land use and building whereby planning and design strategies are reconstructed and reinterpreted by means of a high level of communication among the stakeholders. In such an environment, significant issues are the integration of planning and design, the effectiveness of communication, and the role of designerly argumentation in development review. This study looks at the city of Boulder, Colorado, where the worldview and the emergent review processes show the dominant characteristics associated with postmodernity. The administrative structure of development review in Boulder, Colorado is discussed and the interaction that takes place in the review processes is analysed. The level of discretion used by the parties, the nature of the communication, the role of middle-scale plans, and the level of design argumentation are described. Finally, problems expressed by the reviewers and new strategies that are currently being tested are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective approach to drug regulation is a growing concern. Since 2012, 10 US States and Uruguay have taken the step to revoke prohibition and legalize the recreational cannabis market. Based on the findings from a study ('Cannalex') carried out in 2015-2017 in Colorado, Washington and Uruguay by the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) and the Institute of Security and Justice (INHESJ), relying on a hundred of in-depth interviews analyzed in line with the existing official statistics and studies, this paper shows heterogeneous policy-making models and contexts for reform. It also examines the early outcomes of the cannabis policy change. A mixed picture is emerging from the regulatory regimes currently implemented. This paper discusses the reform processes and their early outcomes, with a specific focus on the less documented area: the political processes that led to legalizing cannabis, analyzed with qualitative data. It argues that the different outcomes reported across Colorado, Washington and Uruguay are framed by the regulatory options that were taken, depending on specific dynamics of reform. The discussion focuses on some hot topics raised by the effective regulations, stressing that the array of cannabis regulatory options is a public debate that has just begun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite promising results from individual-level studies, state-level studies of the effectiveness of comprehensive background-check (CBC) policies in reducing firearm fatalities have yielded null results in multiple states. These prior studies focused on CBC laws adopted in the 1990s, when record keeping was far less complete. We estimated the effect of the implementation of CBC policies on state-level firearm homicide and suicide rates in states implementing CBC policies from 2013 to 2015 (Colorado, Delaware, Oregon, and Washington). We compared age-adjusted firearm homicide and suicide rates, measured annually from 15 years prior to policy implementation until 2019, in each treated state to rates in control groups constructed using the synthetic control group method. Differences in firearm homicide rates for Colorado, Oregon, and Washington post treatment were all small (0.09 to 0.18 per 100,000 residents per year) and not well distinguished from natural variation. Oregon had on average 0.80 per 100,000 fewer firearm suicides per year than did synthetic Oregon post treatment. However, these results were inconsistent across modeling approaches and not well distinguished from natural variation. Our models produced poor fit for Delaware. Coupled with previous null results from Indiana, California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, the present results suggest that extending background check requirements to private transfers alone and implementing these policies as is currently done is not sufficient to achieve significant state-level reductions in firearm fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Politics & Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

State officials responsible for the regulation of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations used in the production of oil and gas resources will inevitably confront a key policy issue; that is, to what extent can statewide regulations be developed without reducing land use autonomy typically exercised by local officials? Most state regulators have historically recognized the economic importance of industry jobs and favor the adoption of uniform regulatory requirements even if these rules preempt local policymaking authority. Conversely, many local officials seek to preserve land use autonomy to provide a greater measure of protection for public health and environmental quality goals. This paper examines how public officials in three states--Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas--address the question of state control versus local autonomy through their efforts to shape fracking policy decisions. While local officials within Texas have succeeded in developing fracking ordinances with relatively little interference from state regulators, Colorado and Pennsylvania have adopted a tougher policy stance favoring the retention of preemptive oil and gas statutes. Key factors that account for between state differences in fracking policy decisions include the strength of home rule provisions, gubernatorial involvement, and the degree of local experience with industrial economic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the article "Legalizing a market for cannabis for pleasure," by Robin Room. The author states mentions topics including the implementation of policy change, the public health, and the introduction of medical marijuana. He also cites information regarding the risk for fatal and non-fatal accidents and the planned taxation for marijuana production.

Copyright of Policy Studies Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Many states in the U.S. have changed how they regulated medicinal and/or recreational marijuana. Understanding the impact of these policy changes on marijuana use and perceptions of acceptability and safety of use is needed. The current study examined perceptions and patterns of marijuana use among college students, a population at increased risk for initiation and heavy use. Method: Data include Colorado university students and national sample averages. We used repeated cross-sectional analyses to examine responses to the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment and added marijuana measures. We examined differences in use and norms pre- to post-legalization among Colorado college students. Colorado data were also compared to national summary statistics. Results: Social norms, use initiation, and use recency and frequency in Colorado increased significantly across changes in recreational legislation. Descriptive norms and rates of ever users in Colorado increased faster than national averages. Conclusions: Results suggest recreational legalization increases how quickly social norms become more approving. As marijuana policy continues to change, implementing social norms interventions alongside legislative changes may offset increases in risk for use initiation and frequency by countering increased social norms favorable to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary is based on a literature review of Chicana/o and African American struggles, augmented by the author’s four decades of activism in Colorado and years of experience working with both communities. This experience led the author to be selected as co-facilitator for a group of African American and Chicana/o leaders whose mission was to develop public policy for education. A central issue was the disproportionate number of children from both groups being expelled or chastised in grades K-3 -- ultimately feeding the school-to-prison pipeline. Highlighted in this article are the many common struggles that both groups have confronted, but that have seldom led to them working together. Examined are historical issues like Americanization policy, that preached forced acculturation as an antidote to structural racism, but that in fact kept both groups marginalized. There have been battle cries for equity in education and liberation in communities. There was a time, still seen, when it was the norm that hegemonic forces controlled education curricula throughout the country. This translated into the continuance of micro communities beleaguered by school curricula that excluded historical contributions of both groups, as well as discussions of poverty, structural racism and classism, all issues alive and well today. Also examined are the two groups’ respective civil right struggles, one which led to the creation of the Crusade for Justice in Denver, Colorado, a local organization that gained national prominence during the Chicano Movement, and the other which built upon the Black Liberation Movement of the 1960s, reflected today in Black Lives Matter. The author challenges both groups to pick up their banners in a joint struggle, to critically analyze the lessons that were learned, and to reinvigorate both communities by building solidarity that would liberate both communities. The use of authentic dialogue and coalition building are key strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal caregiving is a critical component of the US long-term care system, but can have significant negative impacts on caregiver employment, finances, and well-being. An online survey of Colorado caregivers was piloted in 2016-17 to explore whether workplace and social policies such as access to paid family leave and public health insurance can buffer the negative financial impacts of caregiving and help caregivers to remain in the workforce. Using standardized measures, the survey assessed caregivers’ employment and financial status, well-being (physical and mental health, caregiver strain, benefits of caregiving), access to workplace supports, and covariates (e.g., caregiver demographics, health, social support, and service utilization). Ninety-five caregivers, recruited through community agency partners, completed the survey. Respondents were predominately female (89%), middle-aged (M = 57), non-Hispanic White (64%) or Latino/a (22%), and caring for a parent (40%) or spouse (30%) for over one year. Half (51%) reported working full- or part-time jobs, while 16.4% had stopped working because of caregiving. In multivariate regression modeling, predictors of financial strain included the care recipients’ financial strain and the caregiver’s reduction or ceasing of work. Medicare may be protective to minimize caregivers’ need to reduce or cease work. Implications for caregivers’ ability to stay engaged in the workforce and prepare for their own retirement are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal scholars respond to novel risks and technologies such as hydraulic fracturing with a wide range of governance claims. Normative claims are rendered as to whether central (federal), devolved (state and local), dual (distinct and separate approaches), cooperative (shared authority), or dynamic (overlapping and collaborative) federalism should prevail in addressing a policy problem. But the means by which scholars distinguish among governance options are often overconfident. Some accounts claim that regulators lack resources and expertise, or they enjoy economies of scale. Others argue that state or federal actors can tailor decisions and serve as testing grounds, or they are unable to get such experiments off the ground. What these claims lack is an account of how governance emerges in response to a new policy context. This Article develops such an account. It recasts unconventional oil and gas development, which inspired a vast literature focused on abiotic impacts such as chemical contamination, as a landscape conservation problem. As fracking sites proliferated in twenty states, they were met with similarly exponential growth in scientific research, most of which was carried out in the last five years, as well as state efforts to address their ecological impacts. The parallel development of peer-reviewed research and the design of restrictions and controls in states such as Wyoming and Colorado occurred as governance emerged among unique assemblages of scientists, department officials, operators, and other groups. Research imperatives of optimally organized landscape, management practices adapted to eco-regional effects, and oil and gas sites in the context of other forms of human disturbance can be removed from consideration, as institutions such as "best management practices," representations such as "wildlife area," and iterative permit approval and amendment formed what we now refer to as a regulatory response to an environmental impact. Before we consider normative governance claims such as state primacy in tailoring or testing knowledge, or the federal role in collecting or dispersing knowledge, we must first study these interactional responses that co-produce governance of a policy problem such as unconventional energy. This research will allow us to refine our claims and render more nuanced proposals that respond to risks posed by novel technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As of January 1, 2017, eight states have approved laws for recreationalmarijuana use. While the social impacts of these changes remain under debate, the influence on adolescent marijuana use is a key policy and health issue across the U.S. Objective: To examine changes in adolescent marijuanause behaviors in the first year after recreational marijuana implementation in Colorado, and to analyze the effect of retail marijuana store proximity on youth use and perceptions. Method: Secondary analysis of Healthy Kids Colorado Survey data from 40 schools surveyed before and after recreational marijuana sales were implemented (2013 student n = 12,240; 2014 student n = 11,931). Self-reported marijuana use, ease of access, and perceived harms were compared between years and by proximity of recreational marijuana stores to surveyed schools. Results: Adolescent marijuana use behaviors, wrongness of use, and perceptions of risk of harm were unchanged from baseline to one-year follow-up. Perceived ease of access to marijuana increased (from 46% to 52%). Proximity of recreational marijuana stores was not significantly associated with perceived ease of access to marijuana. Conclusions/Importance: In the first study of adolescent marijuana use and perceptions after state retail implementation of recreational marijuana, there was little change in adolescent marijuana use but a significant change in perception of ease of access. Public health workers and policymakers should continue to monitor these changes as essential for evaluating the impact of liberalization of marijuana policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Politics & Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses issues related to ground-level ozone ion Colorado. Topics include ozone and its health effects; the Clean Air Act's history and the current state of the Act; and how the Environmental Protection Agency has and currently regulates groundozone pollution along with an analysis of historical and potential future judicial scrutiny concerning the agency's regulation of ground-level ozone.

Background and aims Since 2012 four US states have legalized the retail sale of cannabis for recreational use by adults, and more are likely to follow. This report aimed to (1) briefly describe the regulatory regimes so far implemented; (2) outline their plausible effects on cannabis use and cannabis-related harm; and (3) suggest what research is needed to evaluate the public health impact of these policy changes. Method We reviewed the drug policy literature to identify: (1) plausible effects of legalizing adult recreational use on cannabis price and availability; (2) factors that may increase or limit these effects; (3) pointers from studies of the effects of legalizing medical cannabis use; and (4) indicators of cannabis use and cannabis-related harm that can be monitored to assess the effects of these policy changes. Results Legalization of recreational use will probably increase use in the long term, but the magnitude and timing of any increase is uncertain. It will be critical to monitor: cannabis use in household and high school surveys; cannabis sales; the number of cannabis plants legally produced; and the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of cannabis. Indicators of cannabis-related harms that should be monitored include: car crash fatalities and injuries; emergency department presentations; presentations to addiction treatment services; and the prevalence of regular cannabis use among young people in mental health services and the criminal justice system. Conclusions Plausible effects of legalizing recreational cannabis use in the United States include substantially reducing the price of cannabis and increasing heavy use and some types of cannabis-related harm among existing users. In the longer term it may also increase the number of new users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Truancy and related school attendance issues are serious problems nationwide, and are often the result of a punitive school-based paradigm that harms more students than the protocols help. While some school districts and juvenile courts have shifted toward a rehabilitative paradigm and approach truancy with preventive efforts, unfortunately, this is not the norm. This manuscript summarizes and reviews: (1) the prevalence of the problems within schools and juvenile courts; (2) truancy and delinquency's inter-related risk and protective factors for children and adolescents and the disproportionate impact on some students; and (3) the evidence of what schools and related stakeholders can do to improve student truancy/attendance problem outcomes. The analysis concludes with case examples from two states (Colorado and Ohio) that have taken dichotomous approaches to addressing truancy, and what child and adolescent social workers should do to fix the problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When assessing the impact of U.S. drug laws on society, one group is often overlooked: children. This policy analysis reviews the data on parental drug involvement, incarceration, and problems of re-entry in order to understand how drug legislation affects children. From this empirical review emerge 10 central “risk to children” themes that provide criteria for conceptualizing and evaluating solutions. The article then presents five types of policy reforms that states have recently enacted and analyzes each according to its ability to mitigate harms to children along the 10 themes. No single drug policy reform effort ameliorates all risk themes, and evidence-based programing for these children is needed to bolster the impact of legislative reforms. Concluding remarks discuss the multiple implications for social work advocacy, practice, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Significant controversy surrounds the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in oil and gas extraction in the United States. To address some of these concerns, states are leading the charge by regulating the process. Yet, variations exist in state regulatory approaches, and it is still unclear what drives these differences. Thus, this research applies policy subsystem theory to examine original interview data to determine what may cause these variations in regulations through an examination of Colorado, Wyoming, and Louisiana. This research finds that policy subsystem theory is useful in explaining this variation. In particular, the position of agency staff and privileged stakeholder groups, often industry related, help to explain why Colorado has a much stronger regulatory program than Louisiana. In comparison, Wyoming’s stringent regulations represent the anomaly in this case, but the results of this research suggest that this dominant energy subsystem will likely not be setting any pro-environment trends going forward.Environmental Practice 16: 102–112 (2014) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rulemaking is an integral component of environmental policy at both the federal and state level; however, rulemaking at the state level is understudied. With this research, we begin to fill that gap by focusing on rulemaking regarding the issue of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in three states: Colorado, New York, and Ohio. This policy issue is well suited to begin exploring state-level rulemaking processes because the federal government has left fracking regulation to the states. Through semistructured interviews with a range of actors in the rulemaking process across these states, we establish a foundation from which future research in this area may build. This exploratory research yields some valuable insights into the roles different stakeholders are playing in regulating fracking in these three states, and our findings may be useful for explaining state-level rulemaking more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify state regulations for nursing home residents with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). We reviewed state regulations for policies relating to nursing home residents with SMI, and conducted interviews with expert stakeholders. A framework for analyzing state regulations was generated by identifying four discrete categories: States with specific mental illness regulations, Alzheimer's or dementia regulations, minor mention of mental illness, and no mention of mental illness. A large majority of the states have little or no mention of mental illness in their nursing home regulations, suggesting limited attention to all forms of mental illness by most state regulatory bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stakeholder negotiation processes are increasingly used in environmental management, but are often difficult due to values differences among stakeholders. These values can be reflected in the language used by stakeholders, which may lead to conflict in negotiation processes. This study investigated whether there are widespread differences among Colorado water stakeholders in how they define the term 'conservation,' a key value and policy term, and whether this leads to conflict in negotiations. Using multiple methods in a cross-sectional case study, use of the term and possible policy implications were analyzed. Stakeholder respondents in this study who had experienced difficulty in water negotiations also perceived a higher degree of miscommunication in their negotiations. The most important finding presented here suggests that clarity of language and transparent discussion of key value-representative terms may aid in stakeholder negotiations, and that minority stakeholders may be more aware of values and language differences than their majority counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of statutory reform in adult guardianship on court practice.Methods: Case files for 298 cases of adult guardianship were reviewed in three states with varying degrees of statutory reform: MA (no reform), PA (major amendments in 1992), and CO (full re-enactment of statute per UGPPA in 2000). Five court practices associated with progressive statutory reform were studied: (1) diversion to less restrictive alternatives; (2) minimal and appropriate use of emergency procedures; (3) presence of the alleged incapacitated person at the hearing; (4) use of functional evaluation; (5) use of limited orders.Results: CO more frequently utilized all five practices, whereas PA used diversion to less restrictive alternatives and less frequent emergency procedures, but not other practices. MA files rarely showed evidence for use of any of these reforms.Implications: Statutory reform may improve court practice. More study of the effects of reform on court practices, and the vulnerable adults served by these courts, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the failure of Sangre de Cristo Land Grant Commission to resolve dispute over its local land-use rights in San Luis, Colorado. Hindrances to the land purchase plans of the commission; Approaches used to resolve environmental conflict resolution; Oppositions to the commission's proposal.

The article discusses several medical research as of September 14, 2013. An article from "Nature" revealed that new treatments were found to be superior to comparators in around 50 percent of randomized controlled trials. A study published in "Diabetes" explored the outcomes of thousands of people with type 2 diabetes taking two oral agents or basal insulin. Researchers writing to "PLOS One" explored whether professional musicians have cognitive advantages.