Criminals Need Not Apply

My state has a tourism problem: Criminals.

First it was the Texas Seven, now the Dougherty Three. But as we say in the West, we got the drop on them all. But why do these man-hunted folks have to trek our way? A local guy commented on the story which ran on the newspaper's online edition by saying that people with troubles always run to the mountains. Gee, that's comforting.

Maybe the word will circulate in the about-to-bust-out-of-prison and the oops-gotta-run circles that the Centennial State ain't the place you wanna head to--the cops are just too wiley, the roads are twisty, and in a state with more cows than people, we tend to notice strangers. Though if you were gonna hide in Colorado, doing it in a Subaru is certainly the best way to blend in.

So much as we'd like to have your business, if you're a criminal, you will not get a friendly welcome. And I think we'll quit sending those travel brochures to all the state prisons around the country. Oh, and the Convention and Visitor's Bureau is gonna nix those "Lose Yourself Here" ads too. Our demographic target audience isn't turning out to be quite what we had in mind.

And the cows are getting restless again...