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"

More

2011 Stories by Melanie Asmar

• Katia Birge's case of alleged rape by a Catholic lay minister scheduled to go to trial in March

  published Feb 04, 2011

  Last week, we wrote about the case of Katia Birge, who claims to have been raped by a Denver Catholic lay minister in 2008. Today, her father, attorney Tom Birge, called to dispute a statement made b... More >>

• Nate Easley: Petition filed to recall Denver Public Schools board president

  published Feb 03, 2011

  Update five: Recall proponents are hard at work gathering signatures. But it hasn't always been easy. See more below our fourth update. Update four: The petition to initiate the recall process has be... More >>

• Groundhog in PA predicts spring, while prairie dog in Denver says more winter: Who's rightr

  published Feb 02, 2011

  Today, on Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania, groundhog weatherman Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, thus predicting that an early spring is on the way. But last week, on no sort of knob whatsoev... More >>

• Civil unions: LGBT organization One Colorado kicks off campaign to legalize them (VIDEO)

  published Feb 01, 2011

  LGBT-rights organization One Colorado is behind a legislative push this year to legalize civil unions in the state. On Sunday, the organization held a kickoff event for its civil-unions coalition, Vo... More >>

• Colorado immigration partnership with feds wrongly focusing on non-criminals, study says

  published Jan 31, 2011

  A program that delegates federal immigration enforcement powers to local officers is not netting as many serious criminals in Colorado as in other states, says a study released today by the Migration... More >>

• Katia Birge's case of alleged rape by a Catholic lay minister: Does it signal new kind of abuser

  published Jan 28, 2011

  Update below: SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is criticizing Catholic officials in Denver, including Archbishop Charles Chaput, for their handling of the Katia Birge case. Bir... More >>

• Midwives: Mom Jen Johnson's home-birth story

  published Jan 27, 2011

  This week's cover story, "Special Delivery," tells the story of Indra Lusero, a home-birth-mom-turned-lawyer who has thrust herself into a legislative battle between midwives and doctors. After givin... More >>

• Louis Hampers: 9News reporter Deborah Sherman settles her civil lawsuit with him

  published Jan 26, 2011

  Louis Hampers, the former Children's Hospital ER doc charged with writing hundreds of phony prescriptions, now has one fewer lawsuit to worry about. Deborah Sherman, a reporter for 9News, has settled... More >>

• Indra Lusero's quest to fight for Colorado midwives started with her own pregnancy

  published Jan 26, 2011

  Soon after Indra Lusero gave birth in the bedroom of her Highlands bungalow in 2003, she made a decision: She wasn't going to be the typical midwifery client who had her baby and then never thought ab... More >>

• 

  COVER STORY

  Indra Lusero's pitch to help Colorado midwives is catching heat in the legislature

  published January 27, 2011

  It was nighttime when the contractions started to come. Indra Lusero wandered from the bedroom to the living room to the bathroom as... More >>

• Brian Hicks stands trial for allegedly ordering Willie Clark, another man to murder a witness

  published Jan 25, 2011

  Today, reputed gang leader Brian Hicks stands trial in Denver for the murder of a witness named Kalonniann Clark. Prosecutors say Hicks ordered the killing while he was in jail on drug charges in 200... More >>

• Nate Easley: Post calls effort to recall DPS board president "a joke," recall supporters fire back

  published Jan 24, 2011

  Update: Easley responds to DeFENSE Denver below our original item. DeFENSE Denver, a self-described coalition of parents, students and educators, is one of the forces behind the recent recall attempt... More >>

• Stock show gay jokes: Earlier controversies over routines about lynching, using "Jew" as a verb

  published Jan 21, 2011

  Earlier this week, the National Western Stock Show apologized for gay jokes told by its rodeo clown/bullfighter and announcer. But the incident wasn't the first of its kind for the stock show. In 199... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Stock show apologizes for gay jokes, Brokeback Mountain banter at Saturday rodeo

  published Jan 18, 2011

  Update: The spokeswoman for the stock show has responded to our post and acknowledged that mistakes were made. See her comments below our original item. I was sitting in the stands of the rodeo at th... More >>

• Dynasty: Creator of sordid Denver-based soap opera announces plans to make movie prequel

  published Jan 14, 2011

  The sex, scandal and shoulder pad-obsessed screenwriters who brought you Dynasty are bringing you Dynasty again: Creator Richard Shapiro announced this week that he plans to make a movie prequel to th... More >>

• Is your kid on drugsr Time to Act classes to teach parents to talk to kids about drugs, alcohol

  published Jan 13, 2011

  What do you do if you suspect your kid is on drugsr A) Fry an egg in a pan and say, "This is your brain on drugs." B) Make him watch the E! True Hollywood Story of Lindsay Lohan. C) Attend a Time to ... More >>

• Sports Orgy restaurant looking to hire model-esque waitstaff, says Craigslist ad

  published Jan 13, 2011

  Would you eat at a joint called Sports Orgyr What if all the waitresses looked like Anna Kournikovar Well, judging by the Craigslist ad below, you may soon have the chance. The ad, which was posted... More >>

• Brett Reese and Laura Boggs, school board members, just can't control their crazy lately

  published Jan 11, 2011

  Last year, Westword profiled Andrea Merida, a Denver Public Schools board member who caused a stir in 2009 when she had herself secretly sworn in. Last year, a few voters tried to recall her after she... More >>

• Highlands Cork & Coffee to start serving liquor soon -- in addition to Snuggies

  published Jan 10, 2011

  Highlands Cork & Coffee in Highlands Square can now serve liquor, in addition to beer and wine. The spot was victorious at a liquor-license hearing last month, says owner Shawn Manzanares, and will b... More >>

• Bed bugs: How bad is the infestation in Denverr

  published Jan 07, 2011

  Are bed bugs a big problem in Denverr Missy Henriksen, spokeswoman for the National Pest Management Association, which is currently hosting its inaugural National Bed Bug Forum in nearby Broomfield, ... More >>

• Bed bug survey: The little suckers are everywhere, including church! Good God!

  published Jan 06, 2011

  Yesterday, we told you that the bed bug-killahs are in town: An estimated 500 pest management professionals are attending the inaugural National Bed Bug Forum in Broomfield, which runs through tomorr... More >>

• Bed bugs: National Bed Bug Forum for pro bug-killers being hosted in Broomfield

  published Jan 05, 2011

  Right now, more than 500 people are meeting at a hotel in Broomfield to learn about one creepy, crawly, nationwide problem: bed bugs. The National Bed Bug Forum is the first event of its kind in rece... More >>

• Secure Communities: Colorado signs on to fingerprint check for illegal immigrants

  published Jan 04, 2011

  Colorado is the latest state to join Secure Communities, a federal program that checks fingerprints of people booked into local jails against a national database of illegal immigrants."My office has w... More >>

• Kenyon Martin's birthday: Rookie Nuggets guard Gary Forbes elected to serenade him

  published Jan 03, 2011

  Nugget Kenyon Martin's birthday was surely better than his April Fool's Day, when teammate J.R. Smith's driver filled K-Mart's SUV with buttered popcorn. The power forward's December 30 birthday appe... More >>