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Boebert steps in where Colorado failed: Black sludge in Morgan County drinking water
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Boebert steps in where Colorado failed: Black sludge in Morgan County drinking water

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado The plight of a tiny community in eastern Colorado will soon be the subject of a congressional hearing.  Colorado U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is coming to the aid of a small water district in Morgan County, where toxic black sludge passes for drinking water.  The Prairie View Ranch Water District is 50 miles northeast of the Denver metro area, and it has been a colossal disaster 20 years in the making. Residents say without drinkable water, their homes are worthless.  Boebert -- who represents the residents in Washington D.C. -- is asking the House Appropriations Committee for a $5 million grant to help overhaul the water system.  Boebert is the first elected official willing to meet with the residents, se...
Jacques: Colorado’s speech police aren’t protecting rights—they’re punishing dissent
Approved, Commentary, State, USA Today

Jacques: Colorado’s speech police aren’t protecting rights—they’re punishing dissent

By Ingrid Jacques | Commentary, USA Today Colorado has threatened to sic the thought police on anyone who doesn't comply by using state-approved language about transgender people. You’d think that after two significant losses at the U.S. Supreme Court, Colorado would tread more carefully with its anti-discrimination laws.  No such luck. A new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in May, expands the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to make deadnaming and misgendering transgender individuals a punishable offense. California, not surprisingly, has tried something similar but on a more limited basis. The updated Colorado provisions have already attracted lawsuits on the grounds that the law violates the U.S. Constitution, includ...
State Dept. urges evacuation as Israel-Iran standoff reaches tipping point
Approved, CBS News, National

State Dept. urges evacuation as Israel-Iran standoff reaches tipping point

By Jennifer Jacobs, James LaPorta, Margaret Brennan and Gabrielle Ake | CBS News U.S. officials have been told Israel is fully ready to launch an operation into Iran, multiple sources told CBS News.  The U.S. anticipates Iran could retaliate on certain American sites in neighboring Iraq. This is part of the reason the U.S. advised some Americans to leave the region earlier Wednesday, with the State Department ordering non-emergency government officials to exit Iraq due to "heightened regional tensions." President Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is still planning to meet with Iran for a sixth round of talks on the country's nuclear program in the coming days, two U.S. officials said. Mr. Trump spoke about Iran at an appearance at the Kennedy Center on Wedn...
Summit County Sheriff sues over denied funding, says commission broke staffing deal
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Summit County Sheriff sues over denied funding, says commission broke staffing deal

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons is suing the Summit County Board of County Commissioners after it filed a resolution that the sheriff says retroactively denies funding for staffing expenses. The sheriff said that the board had denied a supplemental budget and appropriation of $1.26 million for the sheriff’s office’s 2024 staffing expenses. The wages had been earned by staff, approved by the county manager and finance director, and paid through standard payroll, according to FitzSimons. “This legal action is necessary to protect my ability to fulfill the statutory responsibilities entrusted to me by the people of Summit County,” said Sheriff FitzSimons. “I remain hopeful these issues can be resolved amicably. As a three-te...
‘No Kings’ protest defies Parker officials, will proceed despite security concerns
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

‘No Kings’ protest defies Parker officials, will proceed despite security concerns

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — After the town of Parker tried to cancel a “No Kings” protest due to the Parker Days Festival on Saturday, the event is taking place anyway. On Saturday, June 14, a group known as “No Kings” is planning a “nationwide day of defiance” against the Trump administration on President Donald Trump’s birthday. The group said during Trump’s birthday festivities, they’re planning on showing up around the country to say “no thrones, no crowns, no kings.” Protests will be held in Colorado and all over the country, including Parker, even after the town of Parker said it had to be canceled due to a scheduling conflict. The town said the Parker Days Festival, which is hosted by the Parker Chamber of Commerce, is a permitted event that takes place...
Chinese nationals caught smuggling pathogens as General Keane warns of full-scale infiltration
Approved, Fox Business, National

Chinese nationals caught smuggling pathogens as General Keane warns of full-scale infiltration

By Taylor Penley | Fox Business Three Chinese nationals recently caught attempting to smuggle biological materials into America The U.S. is "target one" for the Chinese Communist Party, and retired Gen. Jack Keane says that beefing up defenses to stand up against the threat should be high on the list of priorities. "China is conducting the most comprehensive penetration of our society since we were formed 250 years ago, 249 years now, and we've never seen anything quite like this," he said Tuesday, weighing in on news that a third Chinese national has attempted to smuggle biological materials into the U.S. within the past week. The Fox News senior strategic analyst joined "Mornings with Maria" where he spelled out the severity of the "comprehensive" threat – cyber esp...
U.S. gets rare earths, China gets 55% tariffs under Trump trade pact
Approved, National, THE HILL

U.S. gets rare earths, China gets 55% tariffs under Trump trade pact

By Brett Samuels | The Hill President Trump said Wednesday his administration reached a tentative agreement on a trade truce with China following talks between the two sides in London. As part of the agreement, which Trump said was pending his approval and the approval of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China will supply “full magnets, and any necessary rare earths,” Trump said on Truth Social. Trump indicated the U.S. would impose 55 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, while China would impose a 10 percent tariff on U.S. products. “Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities (which has always been good with me!),” Trump posted, describing the relationship between the two sides a...
After Xi–Trump call, China pushes ‘consensus’ language in trade talks
Approved, denvergazette.com, National

After Xi–Trump call, China pushes ‘consensus’ language in trade talks

By Yukun Zhang and Liz Lee | Reuters via Denver Gazette BEIJING (Reuters) -China's Vice Premier He Lifeng said China and the United States should strengthen consensus and maintain communication, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday, after the two countries agreed to get a delicate trade truce back on track. U.S. and Chinese officials, including He, concluded two days of negotiations in London on Tuesday to resolve key trade issues in the two superpowers' bruising tariff war, including on a raft of export control measures that have hobbled global supply chain. The two sides should use their consultation mechanism to further "build up consensus, reduce misunderstandings and strengthen cooperation", He was quoted as saying by Xinhua, describing the talks as candid and in-de...
Critics warn Polis’ immigration law oversteps Constitution, ignores federal authority
Approved, completecolorado.com, State

Critics warn Polis’ immigration law oversteps Constitution, ignores federal authority

By Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado DENVER—Despite repeated claims that Colorado is not a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigration, Gov. Jared Polis on May 23 signed a bill into law that both reinforces and expands Colorado’s existing protections for immigrants living in the country illegally. Senate Bill 25-276, Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status was a top priority for majority Democrats in the state legislature as they continue their attempt at isolating Colorado from the Trump administration’s deportation policies, with the bill picking up a remarkable 46 prime and co-sponsors on its way to passage. Expanded protections Colorado state law already limits interaction and information sharing between local and federal officers. However, SB 276 extends this measure to proh...
Polis defends ICE data release as criminal investigation matter, but documents raise doubts
Approved, Axios, State

Polis defends ICE data release as criminal investigation matter, but documents raise doubts

By Alayna Alvarez, John Frank | Axios Legal pressure is mounting against Democratic Gov. Jared Polis after revelations that he ordered state officials to comply with an ICE subpoena and hand over personal data of undocumented children in Colorado to federal immigration agents. The latest: Colorado WINS — the union representing more than 27,000 state workers — civil rights group Towards Justice and labor organization Colorado AFL-CIO announced Monday they're joining as plaintiffs on a whistleblower lawsuit filed last week by Scott Moss, a senior labor official in Polis' administration. The groups accuse the governor of "colluding" with ICE agents and violating multiple state laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement...