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Who funds Colorado’s legislative fellows and how much influence do they have?
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, State

Who funds Colorado’s legislative fellows and how much influence do they have?

By Cory Gaines | Colorado Accountability Project Meet the Fellows SB25-309, linked first below, has lofty and not-unreasonable goals. Quoting the bill’s fiscal note:“The bill authorizes the Legislative Council Committee to approve agreements between the Legislative Council Staff (LCS) director and nonpartisan organizations to place nonpartisan legislative policy fellows in LCS. Any agreement approved by the committee must ensure that the director retains supervisory authority over fellows, and also specify that any work created during the fellowship remains the property of the General Assembly.”The concept is simple. We all have our areas of expertise and education, and we are all ignorant outside of those areas. Our legislators are no exception; they’re not super men...
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First Fatal Mountain Lion Encounter In Decades Reported In Larimer County
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

First Fatal Mountain Lion Encounter In Decades Reported In Larimer County

By Stephanie Butzer | Denver7 The last fatal mountain lion attack in the state happened in 1999. This is a developing story. LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A woman died after a suspected mountain lion attack south of Glen Haven in unincorporated Larimer County, authorities say. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) posted at 5 p.m. Thursday that it was responding to the area for a "suspected mountain lion attack" and Denver7 confirmed around 7 p.m. that it was fatal. The last fatal mountain lion attack in the state happened in 1999. During a press conference in Glen Haven Thursday evening, CPW spokesperson Kara Van Hoose said a group of hikers on Crosier Mountain Trail came across a mountain lion near a person on the ground around 12:15 p.m. READ THE FULL A...
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Justice Served as Colorado Child Predator Receives 84-Year Federal Prison Sentence
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The Western Journal, Approved, State

Justice Served as Colorado Child Predator Receives 84-Year Federal Prison Sentence

By Jack Davis | The Western Journal A 31-year-old Colorado man has been sentenced to 84 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of the sexual exploitation of minors. Austin Ryan Lauless, 31, was sentenced on Dec. 17, according to a Department of Justice news release. In addition to prison time, he faces a lifetime of supervised release. Lauless pleaded guilty to 13 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, five counts of sex trafficking of a minor, two counts of advertising child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material, the Justice Department said. The release said the 84 American victims come from almost every state, and that victims from at least five foreign countries have been identified. READ THE FUL...
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Federal Order Delays Closure of Craig Power Plant as Energy Debate Intensifies
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Federal Order Delays Closure of Craig Power Plant as Energy Debate Intensifies

By Scott Weiser | The Denver Gazette The Trump administration’s energy agency has ordered one of three generating units at a Colorado power plant to remain available for operation amid an impending shutdown of the station and its supplying coal mines. The move is one of the latest attempts by the White House to revive coal production in the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s promise to “unleash” American energy. In Colorado, Democrats and their allies have prioritized moving away from fossil-fired energy in favor of solar and wind power in their campaign to get to net “zero” carbon emissions in a few decades, arguing it is good for people’s health and the environment. Republicans and others have argued that the transition is happening too quickly, with little rega...
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Trump Admin Moves Aggressively to Reshape Food and Chemical Policy
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Just The News, Approved, National

Trump Admin Moves Aggressively to Reshape Food and Chemical Policy

By Amanda Head | Just the News The MAHA Effect: The chemical review overhaul seeks to comprehensively reassess food additives, pesticides, and environmental toxins to reduce their role in chronic diseases and improve overall safety standards. On Wednesday, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that following an extensive and comprehensive review, required under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the agency will now regulate the usage of a variety of five common chemicals used for pliability in materials used for construction and industrial applications.  The list includes: Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP), Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP), Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP), and Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP).  ...
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Obama’s Refugee Machine Has Led to Massive Fraud and the Looting of America
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ZeroHedge, Approved, Commentary

Obama’s Refugee Machine Has Led to Massive Fraud and the Looting of America

By: Tyler Durden, Authored by X user Saggezza Etern | Commentary, Zero Hedge Obama’s Billion-Dollar Minnesota Fraud Empire The Heist You Paid For Imagine waking up tomorrow to find your bank account empty. Every dollar you saved for your children’s tuition, your retirement, your security—gone. Now imagine looking out the window and seeing the thief driving a Porsche bought with your money, laughing as he waves a government-issued thank you note. This is not a hypothetical scenario. It is the reality of the American taxpayer in the wake of the single largest COVID-era fraud scheme in the nation’s history. While you were locked down, masked up, and worrying about the price of eggs, a sophisticated network of fraudsters in Minnesota was siphoning off a quarter of a bill...
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New Colorado Emissions Law Expected to Push Furnace Prices Up 40% or More
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Approved, kdvr.com, State

New Colorado Emissions Law Expected to Push Furnace Prices Up 40% or More

By Ashley Michels | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — HVAC experts are warning about a significant price increase in the cost of new furnaces and water heaters in 2026. On Jan. 1, a new law went into effect in Colorado tightening the emissions standards on gas furnaces and water heaters. Units manufactured beginning Jan. 1, 2026 must meet Ultra Low Nox (ULN) or Energy Star ratings in order to be sold and installed in Colorado. The law does not require Coloradans to immediately replace their existing furnaces and water heaters with upgraded equipment. However, when it comes time to purchase replacements, they must meet the new standards. The change is meant to improve air quality in Colorado, cut down on pollution and help lower utility bills. However, experts expect u...
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Colorado’s Quiet Shift From Elections to Appointments
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Complete Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado’s Quiet Shift From Elections to Appointments

By Jon Caldara | Commentary, Complete Colorado Remember during COVID, when the people screaming the loudest for government-mandated jabs were the very same people chanting “my body, my choice” when it came to abortion — I mean, “women’s health care”? They’re also the folks who insist a 12-year-old is far too young to get a tattoo, but perfectly mature enough to make irreversible “gender-affirming” medical decisions. The technical term for this is cognitive dissonance. In Colorado, we just call it public policy. Fighting tyranny by ending elections Now, as the new year dawns and another legislative session lurches to life, prepare yourself for the mother of all contradictions: “I will fight Trump’s assault on democracy,” followed immediately by, “and on an...
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ACA Subsidy Expiration Triggers Major Premium Hikes for Millions
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Scripps News, Approved, National

ACA Subsidy Expiration Triggers Major Premium Hikes for Millions

By Haley Bull | Scripps News Enhanced subsidies created during pandemic will end after Congress fails to extend them, with experts predicting 114% average premium increases. Millions of Americans will face higher healthcare costs starting January 1, 2026, as enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expire after Congress failed to extend them. The subsidies, which were enhanced during the pandemic and later extended, will end after lawmakers could not reach a consensus on an extension or new healthcare policy. Experts predict premium increases for many Americans who purchase insurance through the ACA marketplace. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates annual out-of-pocket premium payments for subsidized enrollees will increase by an average of 114%, though the exact ...
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Unanimous Arkansas Valley Water Bill Blocked by Presidential Veto
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kdvr.com, Approved, State

Unanimous Arkansas Valley Water Bill Blocked by Presidential Veto

By Spencer Kristensen | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — President Donald Trump vetoed a bipartisan, unanimously-approved bill sponsored by Rep. Lauren Boebert and Rep. Jeff Hurd that would have secured funding to bring clean water to communities on the Eastern Plains, according to a statement made to FOX31 by Boebert’s office. The Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act passed unanimously in the House and the Senate. The bill would have secured funding to continue building the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a water pipeline that would bring access to clean water for 39 communities between Pueblo and Lamar, an area that is known to have high concentrations of salt in the groundwater. It is not a new idea that has been recently created, but rather the end of a project that was de...
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