Rocky Mountain Voice

Menu

Author: Jen Schumann

SB25-003, the $27 million paywall on the Second Amendment
No Comments
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

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:/...
Read More
More than a hat: How Bernie Lake’s fight for health became a political battleground
No Comments
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

More than a hat: How Bernie Lake’s fight for health became a political battleground

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice After fighting a cancer battle, Bernie Lake reclaimed her life while sporting her Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) hat. After breast cancer surgery, she returned to the Durango Community Recreation Center for her first post-treatment workout, determined to rebuild her strength.  Lake had been wearing her MAHA hat since July. "After the first assassination attempt on Trump, I was outraged that our political differences had gotten to such a level," Lake said. "People need to see different political views where they live. I don’t care if you like Trump or not—we should be able to coexist." Silent disapproval was common. "Not one person had said a word to my face before. Plenty of snickers, plenty of side-eyes, but neve...
Read More
Hate or free speech? CMU students react to local Turning Point USA polls
No Comments
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Hate or free speech? CMU students react to local Turning Point USA polls

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Few things stir debate on college campuses like politics—and at CMU, a student group’s whiteboard polls have done just that. Turning Point USA’s Colorado Mesa University chapter (TPUSA CMU) has sparked discussion after posting a series of provocative whiteboard poll questions in the university’s cafeteria.  Some students view the questions as open discussion starters, while others see them as hate speech meant to provoke. “Some of the questions pertaining to immigrants and other situations going on, you have to understand a lot of people are going through this personally,” CMU student Welam Agamba told KKCO 11 News. Founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012, TPUSA is known for challenging anti-American perspectives on colle...
Read More
Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline
No Comments
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters’ time in Larimer County Jail is taking a toll, according to her legal team and supporters. They say she’s experiencing memory loss, declining health and mistreatment—claims that have only fueled concerns about her condition. With growing pressure on Governor Jared Polis to grant a pardon, Peters’ case is becoming a test of justice, fairness and political influence in Colorado. Attorney John Case, who has been visiting Peters regularly, described noticeable changes in her health since she was taken into custody. "I visit Tina approximately weekly, the most recent visit was Sunday, March 16. I notice that Tina has difficulty with memory and word finding, compared to her cognitive abil...
Read More
HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?
No Comments
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Framed as a water conservation bill, HB25-1211 passed the Colorado House on March 17, with unanimous Republican opposition and four Democrats voting against it. Despite its stated goal of ensuring fairness in water tap fees, critics argue the bill primarily benefits developers over homeowners, forcing local water districts to subsidize high-density developments while shifting costs to existing ratepayers.​ Democrat Reps. Rebecca Stewart and Sheila Lieder, sponsors of the bill, argue it is necessary to prevent water districts from using tap fees to discourage development.  “The bill makes sure that special districts aren’t using the levying of tap fees in order to influence land use, discourage more water-efficient...
Read More
Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers
No Comments
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Few states rival Colorado’s wealth of energy resources, but its oil and gas industry is up against increasing challenges. Small and mid-sized operators, once the industry’s backbone, are struggling with a growing tangle of regulations.  Delayed permits, overlapping oversight and rising fines are making it harder to stay in business, forcing many to reconsider their future in the state. Ryan Clark, Vice President of Engineering at Petrox Resources and a fourth-generation Coloradan working in his family’s oil and gas business, has watched small operators disappear under the weight of increased regulations. "Honestly, I don’t know if oil and gas has a future here," he said. "Growing up, this was a business people bui...
Read More
Taxed and voiceless: How a debt trap turned Meadows Metro District residents into an ATM for bondholders
No Comments
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Taxed and voiceless: How a debt trap turned Meadows Metro District residents into an ATM for bondholders

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Imagine paying a $200 tax each month for a community infrastructure project that was completed decades ago. To add insult to injury, consider being told that you’ll continue doing so for 100 years.  That’s the reality for approximately 20,000 property owners who reside in Meadows Metro District (MMD), Castle Rock's largest neighborhood in Douglas County. The MMD ‘limited tax’ general obligation bonds were issued in 1989 to finance infrastructure, including roads and sewer systems. The project’s initial price tag was $57 million. But residents have paid approximately $400 million, with a remaining debt of $600 million due to a negative amortization structure.  How did a ‘limited tax’ bond turn into a debt that...
Read More
Former City Councilman argues for greater transparency in Grand Junction’s election filing process
No Comments
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Former City Councilman argues for greater transparency in Grand Junction’s election filing process

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Three days. That’s all the time a Grand Junction resident has to challenge a candidate’s petition. But there’s one problem: the public doesn’t even know when the clock starts ticking. The City of Grand Junction claims that residents can challenge election petitions, yet the necessary documents aren’t posted publicly and CORA requests take as long as the objection window itself.  Former Grand Junction City Councilman Kraig Andrews learned this firsthand after reading a Rocky Mountain Voice article that included redacted candidate filing petitions.  With his experience in local government and an eye for detail, Andrews noticed discrepancies that raised concerns about how the city reviews and certifies election ...
Read More
Liberty-loving Rep. Ken DeGraaf has a ‘calculated’ approach to lawmaking that prioritizes freedom
No Comments
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Liberty-loving Rep. Ken DeGraaf has a ‘calculated’ approach to lawmaking that prioritizes freedom

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Ken DeGraaf laughed in response. Loud and unapologetic. The question? Whether he considered himself the "apex predator" of liberty in Colorado politics. "I’m not sure about ‘apex predator,’" DeGraaf said, still chuckling. "I’m just voting the way the Constitution tells me to. That’s really all there is to it. If that puts me at the top of the food chain, then I think that says more about the state of our legislature than it does about me." In a Democrat-controlled government, where individual liberty is often an afterthought, the El Paso County Republican's unwavering constitutional approach makes him stand out, even among his own party. The Liberty Scorecard is one source which attempts to measure legislators. In t...
Read More
In $210M plan to ditch Tri-State, LPEA members feel the financial pinch
No Comments
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

In $210M plan to ditch Tri-State, LPEA members feel the financial pinch

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Rancher J. Paul Brown tends sheep and cattle on his La Plata County spread, facing a $4,000 monthly electric bill. Lisa huddles in a home with her children, skipping heat to ease her electric bill’s bite.  This spring, folks like them could owe $90 more a year — or $308 more monthly for Brown — if a rate hike passes.  Meanwhile, La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) CEO Chris Hansen, who took the helm in November 2024, earns an estimated $545,000 annually, within the role’s $400,000–$600,000 range reported by the Durango Herald. On Feb. 19, county residents packed the LPEA Board of Directors meeting over climbing rates, tied to a $210 million plan to ditch Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, their longtim...
Read More

FD863768-0ACF-495E-9D21-2EF784DFFA6B[1]

Join us at RMV's Freedom Festival

Click Here for Tickets!

This will close in 0 seconds