Email Author Melanie Asmar

Awards

• 2012 - GLAAD Media Awards, published May 5, 2011

  "Coming Out in America"

• 2012 - National Association of Black Journalists Awards, published March 17, 2011

  "Say What?"

• 2012 - Clarion Awards/Association of Women in Communications, published May 26, 2011

  "Passing on Education"

• 2011 - Education Reporting Awards/National Education Writers Association, published June 10, 2010

  "Teacher's Fret"

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2013 Stories by Melanie Asmar

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  FEATURED STORY

  James Holmes's attorneys, prosecutors argue about the word "cooperate"

  published May 23, 2013

  A hearing today in the case of accused Aurora theater shooter James Holmes dealt with one question: If Holmes, who has indicated that he'd like to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, does not coop... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Nathan Dunlap or number 89148: Was Hickenlooper right not to use killer's namer

  published May 23, 2013

  When Governor John Hickenlooper announced yesterday that he's offering a reprieve to Nathan Dunlap, who was convicted in 1996 of killing four people at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant, he never uttered... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Colorado film office soliciting entries for database of local crew, filming locations

  published May 22, 2013

  In order to make a movie, you need a crew. To that end, the Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media has launched an online tool called Colorado Reel-Crew, which will "enable the state's film ind... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Hemp growing legal right nowr No, says Colorado Department of Agriculture

  published May 21, 2013

  Is it legal to grow hemp in Colorador Like, right nowr That's a complicated question -- and one that the Colorado Department of Agriculture is trying to clear up in a statement issued this week: "Ame... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Roller derby: See cover girl Dr. Bang Bang in action on Saturday at the 1STBANK Center

  published May 17, 2013

  This week's cover story, "Paging Doctor Bang Bang," recounts the medical adventures of Denver Roller Dolls skater Kimmy Kimmy Bang Bang, a foot-and-ankle surgeon known professionally as Dr. Kim Wilms.... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Photos: See the gruesome roller derby-related injuries fixed by cover girl Dr. Bang Bang

  published May 17, 2013

  This week's feature, "Paging Doctor Bang Bang," tells the story of Kimmy Kimmy Bang Bang, a.k.a. Kim Wilms, a foot-and-ankle surgeon by profession and a badass blocker and jammer on the track with the... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Dr. Bang Bang has the cure for what ails Denver's derby dolls

  published May 16, 2013

  It's nearly 10 p.m. on a Wednesday night, and the Denver Roller Dolls have just finished a punishing scrimmage. The warehouse where they... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  James Holmes's attorneys offer not guilty by insanity plea, judge isn't ready to accept it

  published May 13, 2013

  Late last month, a court document suggested that the attorneys representing accused Aurora theater shooter James Holmes wished to enter a not-guity-by-reason-of-insanity plea on his behalf. At a hear... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Film incentives: Bulk of $1.3 million allocated for next fiscal year to go to Hallmark show

  published May 10, 2013

  Last year, the Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media got a big boost when lawmakers passed a bill to increase cash rebates to moviemakers who choose to film here -- an incentives package that ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Hemp-farming registry bill passes; first plants are bound for the ground

  published May 10, 2013

  A bill to register hemp farmers with the state has been approved by lawmakers. Now all it needs is the governor's signature before a nine-member committee can begin assisting the Department of Agricu... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Gaylord in Aurora: New developer found to build 1,500-room, $800 million hotel

  published May 09, 2013

  A new developer will take over the stalled Gaylord hotel project in Aurora, which won an estimated $81.4 million tax rebate from the state last year before hospitality giant Gaylord Entertainment anno... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  James Holmes, accused Aurora theater shooter, plans to plead not guilty by reason of insanity

  published May 07, 2013

  Accused Aurora theater shooter James Holmes "intends to tender a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity" at the next hearing in the case, which is scheduled for Monday, May 13, according to a motion... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Photos: Sonia Sotomayor tells students to take chances, value education, overcome stereotypes

  published May 02, 2013

  Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor made a promise to the hundred eighth-, ninth- and tenth-graders to whom she spoke this morning. "If anybody watching this today in this room ever becomes a just... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Operation Cock Block's Bill Sullivan calls for dismissal of Ponzi scheme case against him

  published May 01, 2013

  Bill Sullivan, the subject of our bad-boyfriend story "Operation Cock Block," is now claiming he's innocent of participating in a $15.7 million Ponzi scheme. "The preponderance of facts support a d... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  DUI treatment: Bill attempting to separate treatment from probation supervision fails

  published May 01, 2013

  A bill that would bar Colorado private probation companies from also providing chemical dependency treatment to an individual client has failed for the second year in a row. The question at the center... More >>

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  Medicaid's new assessment for disabled children could hinder instead of help

  published May 2, 2013

  Parents of children with disabilities and their advocates are frustrated by a new questionnaire being used by the state to determine a child's... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  James Holmes's attorneys considering insanity plea against his willr

  published Apr 30, 2013

  Update below: Are attorneys for accused theater shooter James Holmes considering entering a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, or NGRI, against Holmes's willr A court document filed Monday hint... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Fetuses-aren't-people lawsuit: Colorado Supreme Court declines to hear the case

  published Apr 24, 2013

  The Colorado Supreme Court has declined to hear a case in which Englewood-based Catholic Health Initiatives argued that it couldn't be held liable for the deaths of two unborn babies at one of its hos... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Hemp bill to set up registration process for would-be farmers making progress

  published Apr 16, 2013

  A bill to register hemp farmers with the state Department of Agriculture has been introduced at the State Capitol. As explained in our cover story, "Green Acres," the marijuana-centric Amendment 64 al... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  DUI treatment: For second year, bill attempts to separate treatment from probation supervision

  published Apr 15, 2013

  DUI treatment providers are once again pushing a bill that would bar Colorado private probation companies from also providing chemical dependency treatment to an individual client. The question of wh... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Rollin Oliver pleads guilty to second-degree murder in slaying of Officer Celena Hollis

  published Apr 12, 2013

  Rollin Oliver pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Denver police officer Celena Hollis last June. The 22-year-old faces a sentence of sixteen to 26 years in prison ac... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Kevin Purfield arrested for harassing Aurora theater shooting victims' families

  published Apr 11, 2013

  A Portland man has been arrested for harassing the families of victims of the Aurora theater shooting. Kevin Michael Purfield, 45, is accused of "e-mailing, calling and using social media to contact... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Fox News reporter Jana Winter not forced to testify today, ordered to come back in August

  published Apr 10, 2013

  Fox News reporter Jana Winter was not forced to take the stand today and testify about her unnamed sources. Instead, the judge in the Aurora theater shooting case ordered Winter back on August 19. ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  A.J. Boik: Local artist launches Kickstarter to make custom portrait for victim's family

  published Apr 10, 2013

  Chris Bates's reaction to the Aurora theater shooting last summer was one shared by countless other Coloradans. "I felt this really strong urge that I had to do something," says the Fort Collins artis... More >>

• Should the media forgo using killers' names and photos?

  published April 11, 2013

  Is the media responsible for making James Holmes famous? Some people — including some victims' families and Westword... More >>