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Author: Jen Schumann

In Grand Junction, residents debate whether pilot project is promising solution or problem multiplier
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In Grand Junction, residents debate whether pilot project is promising solution or problem multiplier

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice The 4th/5th Street Pilot Project in Grand Junction has sparked a public outcry. City officials call the project a step toward a friendlier downtown for pedestrians and cyclists, but many residents feel it has done more harm than good. The city of Grand Junction launched Engage GJ for community input on projects. As of this article, 286 comments are on the 4th and 5th Street Pilot Project page. A majority, 205 comments are critical of the project on three fronts: access for the elderly and disabled, safety and impact on local businesses. Many expressed concerns about the pilot project's impact on their access to vital downtown services. They argue that the changes on 4th and 5th streets are confusing. They make it harder to naviga...
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Sherri Wright’s journey from cultivating fields to children lends to candidacy for state board of education
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Sherri Wright’s journey from cultivating fields to children lends to candidacy for state board of education

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Sherri Wright is as rooted in Colorado soil as the hay she grows on her 300-acre farm. Instead of her fields, she's been cultivating her 3rd District campaign for a seat on Colorado's State Board of Education. She's spent the last six weeks crisscrossing the district, racking up more than 5,000 miles on her truck. From the Four Corners to the Wyoming state line, Wright is dedicated to meeting with voters and sharing her vision for the future of Colorado’s schools. "Today, I’m up here instead of working my fields,” Wright said during a recent candidate forum in Delta County. "But the situation in our schools requires our attention. So, all I need from you is a heads up and I will show up for our families." With more than 40 ...
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Mesa County focused on stopping the spread of zebra mussels threatening water supply
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Mesa County focused on stopping the spread of zebra mussels threatening water supply

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice A small intruder endangers Mesa County's water infrastructure, agriculture, local economy and aquatic habitats, and Mesa County isn't alone facing the threat. Zebra mussels invade ecosystems unchecked. Their staggering reproductive rate fuels the crisis. A single female can unleash one million eggs. What's worse is that they reach maturity in about four months. These small mussels clog pipes and drip water tubing as they multiply.  They can invade canals and rivers, and cripple irrigation systems.  This July, zebra mussel DNA was detected in the Government Highline Canal and the Colorado River. Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel and Tina Bergonzini, general manager of the Grand Valley Water Users Association, have ...
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Securing Colorado’s elections: United Sovereign Americans to champion integrity in ’24
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Securing Colorado’s elections: United Sovereign Americans to champion integrity in ’24

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice By law, if there are more than 21 errors in an election, the results aren’t reliable enough to certify. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) sets this threshold: one error per 125,000 ballots. Yet, grassroots volunteers with United Sovereign Americans (USA) claim to have discovered 100,693 improperly counted votes and 1,467,380 facially ineligible or uncertain registrations from Colorado’s 2022 election.  USA members discovered this by investigating the Colorado Secretary of State's official voter registration data and voting history records, they say. The analysis was conducted using SQL database queries that revealed thousands of apparent voter registration and voting errors. This data was presented in their Colorado 2022 Gene...
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Water roundtable sought common ground to secure a future with water
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Water roundtable sought common ground to secure a future with water

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Water is essential. Everyone needs it, from cities to farms, but how it is managed can be quite a puzzle. As water scarcity and climate challenges grow, Colorado leaders gathered at the recent Colorado Water Roundtable Event to discuss the future of water management.  With the 2007 Interim Guidelines expiring in 2026, stakeholders are seeking solutions to protect the state's water. These include agricultural, municipal, environmental and tribal groups. Merging current demands with future planning Andy Mueller, general manager of the Colorado River District, stressed the need for long-term planning. It is urgent. "Media in the lower basin states often claim they're alone in seeking solutions to water demands and drou...
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Navigating Colorado’s legislative landscape at the Club 20 debates
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Navigating Colorado’s legislative landscape at the Club 20 debates

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice As Colorado elections draw near, the Club 20 debates offer a glimpse of the possible representation from which to choose in the state legislature. With Democrats holding a supermajority in the House (46-19) and a near supermajority in the Senate (23-12), the Club 20 debates last week were crucial for voters who want their interests represented. Water rights, agriculture, the housing crisis and healthcare were key issues dominating the discussion, as rural and urban Colorado face differing challenges. Where common ground can be agreed upon is a task often left to state lawmakers to tackle. Water Rights Water management was a central theme across all debates, with candidates recognizing the importance of securing Colorado's w...
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Amendment H ensures accountability in Colorado’s judiciary, retired Chief Judge Maes says
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Amendment H ensures accountability in Colorado’s judiciary, retired Chief Judge Maes says

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Even though retired Colorado 10th Judicial District Chief Judge Dennis Maes has plenty to do as a board member for Pueblo School District, he writes monthly articles on the need for judicial reform.  And behind the scenes, he acts when he observes actions that throw the question of judicial transparency and accountability into question. He’s also gone to multiple news media outlets to air his concerns. Maes believes that the work of investigative journalists around the state, including the Denver Gazette's David Migoya, led to Amendment H appearing on the ballot.  “Migoya was key in exposing judicial scandals, including the Mindy Masias case and other judicial misconduct issues," Maes shared. In November of 2022, Maes submi...
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How engine trouble in Grand County inspired Constitution Day celebrations in Mesa County
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How engine trouble in Grand County inspired Constitution Day celebrations in Mesa County

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Mesa County residents Edward and Betty Baltzer were in Grand County last summer when their Jeep broke down. During repairs, Betty saw a sign for Constitution Day events there and snapped a photo to show her friend, Lisa Fry. This sparked the idea to organize a celebration in Mesa County. Lisa Fry and Ruth Kinnett, co-hosts of The Mesa County Compass YouTube channel, led the initiative. Their efforts gained support from Mesa County Commissioners, resulting in a proclamation read by Commissioner Bobbie Daniel on Sept. 17 during a special ceremony. "Celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution provides an opportunity for all Americans to realize the achievements of the framers and the rights, privileges and resp...
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Shape the future of energy: AGNC survey calls for community voices in Northwest Colorado
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Shape the future of energy: AGNC survey calls for community voices in Northwest Colorado

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice As Colorado’s coal plants close and the state pivots to new energy solutions, the future of Northwest Colorado’s economy hangs in the balance. The Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC) is leading an effort to ensure rural communities play a central role in shaping this transition. At the heart of this initiative is a public survey, open through September 16, 2024, giving residents the chance to voice their preferences on energy sources and help guide the region's future. With coal once providing stable jobs and affordable energy, the challenge now is to identify new paths that protect both livelihoods and local economies. Building on strong foundations The Northwest Colorado Energy Initiative (NCEI), operating...
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From communism to Colorado: Barbora Hurd’s call for freedom with Mesa County GOP Women
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From communism to Colorado: Barbora Hurd’s call for freedom with Mesa County GOP Women

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice At the Mesa County Republican Women's monthly luncheon, Barbora Hurd, originally from Czechoslovakia, shared what a childhood under Communism was like. It took her seven years to become a U.S. citizen, after marrying 3rd District U.S. House Republican nominee Jeff Hurd. For Barbora, living in a country where hard work leads to achieving dreams is worth fighting for. Living Under Communism Barbora recalled: “I was born and grew up behind the Iron Curtain. This meant that we, as citizens, had no freedom of speech or expression. No freedom of religion or worship. We had no free press. We were not free to move. And we had no freedom to assemble.” Hurd quoted Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel on life under communism: “Because the ...
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