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Supreme Court sides with Trump in USAID funding dispute for now
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Approved, National, Washington Examiner

Supreme Court sides with Trump in USAID funding dispute for now

By Kaelan Deese | Washington Examiner The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court order that told the Trump administration to release nearly $2 billion in foreign aid payments by midnight on Wednesday in the dispute over its hold on U.S. Agency for International Development funds. The Justice Department in an emergency filing contended that the administration needs more time to review outstanding payments for fraud and abuse and warned that complying with the rushed timeline could lead to irreversible financial harm. Without issuing comment about the merits of the case, the Supreme Court told parties to file additional responses to their chambers by Friday, according to a brief order by Chief Justice John Roberts. “The order does...
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USAID funneled $122 million to charities tied to designated terrorists, congressional testimony reveals
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Approved, National, National Review

USAID funneled $122 million to charities tied to designated terrorists, congressional testimony reveals

By  David Zimmermann | National Review The now-shuttered U.S. Agency for International Development has funneled at least $122 million in approved grants to terror-tied aid charities, including an evangelical Christian group that in 2014 facilitated a $125,000 sub-grant to a Sudanese terrorist organization linked to al-Qaeda's Osama bin Laden. USAID has long been complicit in funding humanitarian aid groups associated with designated terrorists, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. This is just one egregious example of the waste, fraud, and abuse within USAID that the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency are working to uncover. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE NATIONAL REVIEW
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Western Slope officials supporting the nuclear option for energy
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Western Slope officials supporting the nuclear option for energy

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Jump started in the past year by Gov. Jared Polis’ clean energy mandate and the imminent closing of the Craig Station Power Station, local governments have been studying new technologies — such as small modular nuclear generation and technologies that allow spent nuclear fuel to be recycled and repurposed. In consideration of lost jobs and lost revenue to counties that will devastate historical fossil fuel energy counties, and seeing the increase in energy demands in the future related to AI technologies, data centers, semiconductor industries and quantum technology, local governments are working to keep those communities in their jurisdictions employed and electrified. Elected officials that make up the members of the ...
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Black belt, Army career prepared Rep. Hartsook for the fight under the Golden Dome
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Black belt, Army career prepared Rep. Hartsook for the fight under the Golden Dome

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice He holds a black belt in judo and has a knack for spotting nonsense. Douglas County Republican Rep. Anthony Hartsook has the background of an Army veteran and the ability to take on "fees" — what Republicans call taxes — with calm precision, and sometimes a grin. You could say he stands out in the capitol's chaos. A sixth-degree black belt since his teens, he’s built for focus. “I’ve been doing judo since I was a teenager,” he says. That’s years of flipping foes and dodging blows. Now he’s sidestepping political traps.  Sometimes he cracks a smile about it.  “I’ve commented that we should put boxing gloves on down in the well [the speaking podium on the floor]. And just go, ‘Last guy standing, bill passes,’”...
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There’s an ‘outbreak’ of sick racoons in Arapahoe County, officials say
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Approved, kdvr.com, Local

There’s an ‘outbreak’ of sick racoons in Arapahoe County, officials say

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox 31 News Arapahoe County Animal Services is warning locals to take precautions after seeing an increased number of sick raccoons in the area. The Arapahoe County Government posted that animal services has seen an “outbreak” of sick raccoons suffering from canine distemper, a viral disease infecting raccoons, foxes, coyotes, skunks and unvaccinated dogs. It is spread when animals have direct contact with body fluids or droppings from an infected animal. The county said symptoms of the usually deadly disease can include discharge from the nose and eyes, a rough coat of hair, emaciated appearance and unusual behavior like disorientation or wandering aimlessly. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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It’s a packed field of candidates aiming to take a seat on Aurora City Council
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

It’s a packed field of candidates aiming to take a seat on Aurora City Council

By Kyla Pearce | The Denver Gazette Candidates are lining up quickly for five Aurora City Council seats that are up for election at the end of the year, with campaigns including those from a former Aurora councilmember, a former mayoral candidate and a current councilmember. As of Tuesday, Aurora's campaign finance system showed five candidates for Ward I, one candidate each for Wards II and III and two candidates for two at-large seats. The Aurora City Council is made up of a mayor and 10 councilmembers, with six of them representing individual wards and four elected at-large to represent the entire city. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Colorado Bureau of Investigation launches public dashboard to track rape kit backlog
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Approved, DENVER7, State

Colorado Bureau of Investigation launches public dashboard to track rape kit backlog

By Óscar Contreras | Denver 7 News The Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday it would start publicly tracking its progress to address a rape kit backlog exacerbated by an investigation into one its former forensic scientists accused of mishandling DNA evidence. “We acknowledge it is taking us too long to complete DNA cases. We are committed to an aggressive plan to bring this turnaround time down to our goal of 90 days as quickly as possible,” said CBI Director Schaefer in a statement announcing the creating of the public dashboard. “We understand the importance of timely processing of sexual assault kits and the impact this backlog has on survivors.” READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER 7 NEWS
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Hillman: Free state of Colorado? Not hardly, Gov. Polis
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Approved, Commentary, Mark Hillman

Hillman: Free state of Colorado? Not hardly, Gov. Polis

By Mark Hillman | Commentary, MarkHillman.com Colorado’s ruling progressive Democrats believe in equality under the law only in the sense, as in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, that some of us are “more equal than others.” Nothing illustrates this better than their current contortions related to gun policy and crime. On the one hand, progressives resist passing a law to increase penalties for stealing a firearm because, they say, it might result in too many “black or brown” men going to jail. Likewise, they don’t want to make it easier for law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport illegal aliens who have committed violent crimes. Level heads might consider it a higher priority to protect law-abiding black and brown people who aspire to live ...
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Sen. Kirkmeyer uncovers ‘crisis in spending priorities’ in funding of ‘furniture over neglected kids’
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Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Sen. Kirkmeyer uncovers ‘crisis in spending priorities’ in funding of ‘furniture over neglected kids’

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado The hole in the Colorado state budget is getting bigger. The latest figures show a shortfall of about $1.2 billion, and the state's chief economist says the reserve -- or rainy-day fund -- will run out of money by 2029 if nothing changes. "The message is we are on an unsustainable path with our budget if we don't change our spending habits," said State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer, who is one of six lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee. The Republican says lawmakers have simply overspent, pointing out the state has added more than 7,000 full time employees and 17 new state offices in the last six years alone. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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New-to-chicken raising Coloradans may find they have roosters and not laying hens, sanctuary says
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

New-to-chicken raising Coloradans may find they have roosters and not laying hens, sanctuary says

By Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado As egg prices continue to rise in Colorado and across the country, some people have decided to raise their own chickens and produce their own egg supply. One animal sanctuary is offering a warning to those who take on such a responsibility.  Amid the sounds of roosters crowing at the Rooster Sanctuary at Danzig's Roost in Bennett, is a different kind of noise that's been popping off as of late. "The same call, over and over and over and over again," said Jewel Johnson. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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