We have a great country and a lot to be proud of. And despite the economy and the environment, I'm in a better mood to celebrate than I was in say, 2006.

But while you're celebrating today, take a moment and give some thought to those whose freedoms still need protecting and defending within our great nation. Today is not just for our law-abiding citizens. It's also for all who are living within our borders, including those who continue to be detained at Guantanamo, who are languishing in our prisons, and who live in fear of being separated from their families and deported.

What are you thinking about this Independence Day? And what's on your menus? I'll leave you with one more message, below:

El Comercio Peru reports that Joran van der Sloot has a mysterious visitor at Miguel Castro Castro prison:

He is visited by a foreign woman in the Castro Castro prison twice a week. According to prison authorities revealed maximum security to local media, the mysterious visitor takes canned food and groceries, allegedly on behalf of the Netherlands citizen mother, Anita van der Sloot.

According to the press , the swarthy-skinned woman has been seen visiting the confessed murderer of Stephany Flores during the last week. Police officers have come to examine in detail the food that leads to murder suspect.

This is an open thread for all topics related to Joran Van der Sloot.

Update: The Judge sentenced Joe Nacchio to 70 months, a reduction of only two months from his prior sentence. She cut his forfeiture from $52 million to $44 million and left the $19 million fine in place. Hardly what Nacchio was hoping for.

***

At 2:00 pm, the court will issue its new sentence for former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio.

The Denver Post reports the Judge today said she accepted the Government's version of the amount of loss and is putting it at 28 to 32 million, which means his guidelines would be the same, 63 to 78 months. His original sentence was 72 months.

So, the question is, will the Judge agree to a downward departure from the guidelines or a variance from a guideline sentence under the factors in 18 USC 3553(a)? [More...]

Greenway University is getting its own Denver campus. The medical marijuana school has been approved by Colorado's Board of Higher Education. It will be the first state licensed marijuana school in the country. It teaches students "how to grow, sell and distribute medical marijuana."

Approximately 1,000 students have attended Greenway University in since it started satellite classes in downtown Denver last year. It is expanding so fast it needs a permanent campus and eight full-time instructors.

"We've got an extra botanist, geneticist, we really have some skilled and talented master growers, and all of our growers have a minimum of five years experience and grow for thousands of patients," Escamilla said.

Marijuana is not allowed in the classrooms....for now.

We're driving back from Aspen. Another great weekend at Owl Farm with the NORML lawyers. It rained all day yesterday but that didn't stop the outdoor picnic (Anita had tents brought in.) The Red Tones played for hours, the food was great and we all missed Hunter. Friday night, Aspen top chef Chris Lantern of Cache Cache cooked another incredible feast for 200 at Gerry and Chris Goldstein's home.

it was the TL kid's first time staying at Owl Farm. He got to sleep in Johnny Depp's room and got a weekend course on all things Hunter, including watching a slew of old videos even I had never seen. He had a great time. He says it was like stepping into an alternate reality.

As to the current state of drug law reform, while we all recognized there's been progress the past few years with medical marijuana, we are also aware things go in cycles and another backlash is always around the corner. We are still years away from where we need to be. For those of us who have been fighting the battle in courtrooms for decades, we're so glad to see more and more of the next generation of lawyers joining us.

This is my first full blog post on my iPad as we're still driving. Just got to the top of Vail Pass. I'll be back blogging tonight.

The jury in the Rod and Robert Blagojevich trial will be picked this morning.

Then, opening arguments will begin. The prosecutor is expected to be low-key and to the point. Team Blago lawyer, Sam Adams likely will take longer, and he'll tell a story. The opening argument is like the preview of coming attractions in the movies. It's what you expect the evidence to show. Adams will be fired up. He's a story-teller.

If I lived in Chicago, I'd try to attend every day. it will be interesting, particularly when the co-operators testify, all of whom got sweetheart deals in exchange for testimony that sinks Blagojevich.

I'm rooting for Blago. And his brother Robert. Among the things you might not have know about Blago's accomplishments in office: [More..]

Charlie Sheen, who will plead guilty to misdemeanor assault tomorrow in Aspen, just got another benefit added on: He's going to be able to get work release during his 18 day county jail stint to teach at a local theatre and it will apply to his useful public service obligation. The jail's guidelines are here.

I still think Sheen is being treated more harshly because of his celebrity, and it seems even the D.A. doesn't disagree:

“He's really not getting anything different than the average person under similar circumstances would receive,” [D.A. Arnold] Mordkin said, “and perhaps, he's receiving a little more harsh treatment.”

Also, apparently the jail has been getting so many media inquiries as to whether it's really a jail or just a comfy country club, Sheriff Bob Braudis is holding a media conference at 4:00 pm to explain. [More...]

Actor Charlie Sheen and the Aspen DA's office have reached a plea agreement in his domestic assault case.

According to TMZ, Sheen will plead no contest to misdemeanor assault, the felony menacing charge will be dismissed and Sheen will avoid probation by serving 30 days in the Pitkin County Jail.

With good time, Sheen will serve 17 days. Smart choice by Sheen. Probation could be risky for him and this way he avoids it. The jail in Aspen is pretty nice -- as far as jails go.

He still could have lingering problems as a result of the plea, since it was charged as a domestic violence crime. I don't think it's sealable. And he's likely to be put on the national and state domestic violence dataabases, which will turn up his name even during a routine traffic stop.

Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today signed an important bill into law, reducing penalties for possession of drugs.

House Bill 1352 increases the amount of drugs a person can posses before facing jail time, instead diverting offenders to substance-abuse treatment centers paid for by the savings on avoiding incarceration.

Ritter also signed bills allowing judges greater discretion in granting probation, increasing possible good time and ability to be placed on parole.

House Bill 1360 lessens penalties for parolees who make technical violations. House Bill 1338, makes it easier for people previously convicted of two or more nonviolent felonies to obtain parole. And House Bill 1374 increases the amount of time off their sentences that well-behaved inmates can earn for each month served.

Here's a copy of the final bill. [More...]

At the Republican Colorado Assembly today, delegates picked a tea partier named Dan Maes over conservative former Congressman Scott McInniss, who has been running for the job for what seems like years.

Maes says he is the more conservative of the two. I didn't know you could be more conservative than McInniss. As McInniss told the crowd today:

“On Day One I will reverse the executive order that unionized all state agencies,” McInnis promised. “I will stand by the governor of Arizona. I will stand by Tom Tancredo to protect our borders.”

So what does Maes stand for that McInniss doesn't? [More...]

My neighborhood lost power at 11:30 pm last night. There was a big bang and then blackness. Apparently, a transformer blew. This morning, the lights are on but there's no electricity. No coffee, no tv, no computer power, no clocks. At least it's Friday and I didn't have anyplace special to be.

Supposedly full power will be restored in a few hours. It's kind of eerie. I'm turning the computer off now to save the battery.

Just a reminder to always keep fresh batteries around for your flashlight.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Tomorrow night, the Denver City Council will consider an immigration reform proclamation that includes:

NOW THEREFORE,BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER:

Section 1. That the Council of the City and County of Denver calls upon President Barack Obama, the United States Congress, and our Colorado congressional delegation, to take swift and responsible legislative action to produce fair, humane, effective, and comprehensive federal immigration reform - reform that enhances American stability, security, and prosperity by: providing for robust border control; enforceable immigration laws; family unification; a rate and system of controlled immigration that matches the needs of our economy; a path to earned legalization, citizenship, and social integration for our existing immigrant workforce and their families; equitable access to higher education for immigrant students already being educated in American public schools; enhanced enforcement of labor laws; and bilateral partnerships with other countries to promote economic development that will reduce the flow of immigrants in the first place.

If you'd like to call your city council representative and ask them to support it, here's the contact information.