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Author: Jen Schumann

New council, new direction: Grand Junction voters back reform candidates
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New council, new direction: Grand Junction voters back reform candidates

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Transparency, safety and responsiveness emerge as top issues in grassroots-driven victories All four City Council seats up for election in Grand Junction this April have been claimed by candidates promising a new direction for the city. While official results won’t be certified until later this month, the margins are clear—and the message from voters, even clearer. Cody Kennedy, Robert Ballard and Ben Van Dyke each secured a win in their contested council races. Laurel Cole, who ran unopposed in District A, rounds out the incoming group. The results point to strong voter support for candidates focused on transparency, public safety and responsiveness to residents. “Let’s take Grand Junction back,” Van Dyke told support...
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The fine print of SB25-063: Speak up about inappropriate books in schools, get doxxed
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The fine print of SB25-063: Speak up about inappropriate books in schools, get doxxed

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice When Colorado lawmakers debated Senate Bill 25-063—titled the “Freedom to Read Act”—most eyes focused on the usual battle lines: controversial books, age appropriateness and the role of librarians. But tucked inside the bill is something less publicized—and more dangerous to parents who dare to speak up. Under Section 4(f), any parent who requests that a book be reconsidered for a school library will have their name made public. That request becomes a CORA-able document, meaning it falls under the Colorado Open Records Act. And in today’s politically charged environment, that’s all it takes to make someone a target. Rep. Ken DeGraaf, who opposed the bill during the April 3 House floor debate, warned that the measure gives...
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One Sunday, four laws and the collapse of middle ground in Colorado politics
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One Sunday, four laws and the collapse of middle ground in Colorado politics

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice With the clock ticking on the legislative session, Colorado Democrats made their move—advancing four of the year’s most polarizing bills in a single day – Sunday. The marathon legislative blitz was notable not only for its controversial content, but for how it was executed: through rare weekend floor time, party-line votes and multiple Rule 16 motions that cut off debate and silenced opposing voices. https://twitter.com/RepCaldwell/status/1908586233632071742 "Because of the actions today, I would request that this bill be read at length—and every other bill after this," said Rep. Ron Weinberg, responding to the procedural move that ended discussion on one of the bills.  House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese added, "Col...
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Rewriting the rules: Wolves, federal reform and a lawsuit from rural Colorado
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Rewriting the rules: Wolves, federal reform and a lawsuit from rural Colorado

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Late last year, five wolves were airlifted from Oregon to Colorado under a plan voters narrowly approved—but few knew one of them came from a pack with a history of livestock attacks.  Fewer still knew the move may have violated federal law. At the center of the controversy is a growing belief that Colorado’s wolf reintroduction bypassed environmental law and public transparency.  And a federal lawsuit now threatens to unravel the entire plan. The lawsuit that could reset the rules The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, is one of the country’s cornerstone environmental laws — meant to ensure that federal actions don’t proceed without full environmental review and public input.  But when...
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A shepherd in the trenches: Rep. Scott Bottoms answers the call to fight for Colorado
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A shepherd in the trenches: Rep. Scott Bottoms answers the call to fight for Colorado

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice El Paso County Republican Rep. Scott Bottoms walked the quiet State Capitol halls with his wife, prayers filling the empty space. They spent hours there—no fanfare, just a pastor seeking God’s will on a new path after years of preaching in Colorado Springs.  Several lawmakers asked him to run for office. “I’m a pastor,” he told them. One replied, “Pray about it.” That stuck. “I almost said no,” Bottoms said. “I was scared God might say yes.”  “I didn’t choose this,” Bottoms said. “I felt God say, ‘This is your battlefield.’” He said what no one else would Bottoms caught the attention of millions across the country with a speech that went viral on X last fall. “Our state is running rampant with pedophilia,”...
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Bannon lights fire under Colorado GOP at Centennial Gala: “The elites failed this state”
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Bannon lights fire under Colorado GOP at Centennial Gala: “The elites failed this state”

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Despite credible bomb threats and a last-minute venue change, the Colorado GOP gathered under tight security to kick off what Steve Bannon called “a journey to take this state back.” But the fight, he warned, isn’t just against Democrats—it’s against weak Republicans and elites “who don’t want you in their party.” The Centennial Dinner, held March 28 at Phil Long Music Hall in Colorado Springs, featured a live call-in from former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from the Larimer County jail, and a headlining speech from Bannon that ignited the room with calls for courage, action and confrontation.  Outside, protesters shouted and blocked the entrance. Inside, hundreds of attendees stood their ground. A call t...
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From the ashes of division: Horn, Phelan and Andrews chart a new course for Colorado GOP
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From the ashes of division: Horn, Phelan and Andrews chart a new course for Colorado GOP

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice "We’re like a great football team," Russ Andrews told delegates at the Colorado Republican Party reorganization meeting on March 29. "But when we take the field, we block and tackle each other. That has to end." It was a sentiment echoed by the party's newly elected leaders Brita Horn (Chair), D. Lee Phelan Sr. (Vice Chair), and Andrews himself, who was elected Secretary. The three swept their respective races after a day of pointed speeches, surprise withdrawals and shifting alliances that ended with a new leadership slate promising to put unity and effectiveness over factional infighting. Contests, concessions and realignment Lori Saine, who came in second to Horn in the chair race, struck a note of resilience. She t...
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Did Grand Junction’s City Council enable a pay-to-play deal?
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Did Grand Junction’s City Council enable a pay-to-play deal?

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice When the City of Grand Junction accepted a $3 million donation from Intermountain Health (St. Mary’s Hospital) in exchange for naming rights to its new Community Recreation Center (CRC), the deal looked like a win for the community.  But behind that vote lies a contract process that critics say gave some bidders an unfair advantage — a deal many providers never had a fair shot at. A formal ethics complaint filed with the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission (CIEC) accuses city officials of shaping a public request for proposals (RFPs) in a way that prioritized money over merit.  Among concerns that contributions guided the RFP process, there’s also allegations that some engaged in negotiating discussions lo...
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Profit or patients? The 340B fight that could close Colorado hospitals
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Profit or patients? The 340B fight that could close Colorado hospitals

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice If Senate Bill 25-071 fails, Julie Lonborg says her neighbor could end up driving from Lone Tree to Thornton just to pick up a single prescription. That’s not some theoretical what-if. It’s a glimpse into what hospital leaders say is already unfolding in Colorado, especially for patients in rural communities who depend on access to affordable medication through the federal 340B drug discount program. SB25-071, known as the Colorado 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act, aims to stop pharmaceutical manufacturers from placing limits on where and how hospitals dispense discounted drugs to vulnerable patients.  Supporters say it’s the only thing standing between local hospitals and a set of restrictions from out-of-state...
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SB25-003, the $27 million paywall on the Second Amendment
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SB25-003, the $27 million paywall on the Second Amendment

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice It started at 8:00 a.m. By the time the clock neared 10:00 p.m., Colorado House Democrats had passed a bill critics say is the most economically discriminating gun control law in state history. SB25-003 cleared second reading on March 21, advancing despite fierce Republican resistance. Over the course of over 12 hours, GOP lawmakers argued that the bill sets up a pay-to-play structure that burdens working-class Coloradans, rural sheriffs and law-abiding gun owners with costs, bureaucracy and uncertainty. “Senate Bill three has passed second reading. It’s unfortunate for Coloradans, but you need to know the Colorado House Republicans put up a valiant fight for your Second Amendment rights,” Rep. Ty Winter said. https:/...
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