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Motorists are paying the price — $11.4B annually, to be exact — for state’s crumbling roads
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Motorists are paying the price — $11.4B annually, to be exact — for state’s crumbling roads

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado’s deteriorating roads are hitting residents — and their vehicles — hard, in Grand Junction costing drivers an average of $1,704 annually in extra repairs, fuel costs, congestion delays and crash-related expenses.  Statewide, the cost is estimated to be $11.4 billion a year, according to a January 2025 report by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit. Meanwhile, inflation and rising construction costs are chipping away at recent funding increases. Rocky Moretti, TRIP’s director of policy and research, highlighted the challenge: “Colorado, in 2021 — both through legislation in Colorado, but also through the federal bipartisan infrastructure legislation — was able to significantly increase investment in ...
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Colorado universities are now closer to paying athletes. But the public may never know how much
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado universities are now closer to paying athletes. But the public may never know how much

By Ben Markus | The Colorado Sun The University of Colorado Boulder would be able to pay football players and keep the individual dollar amounts secret under a bill that passed a key committee vote Thursday in the state House of Representatives. A bipartisan group of lawmakers on the House Education Committee advanced House Bill 1041 even as they continued to express concern about a provision of the measure exempting the contracts between players from public disclosure through the Colorado Open Records Act, known as CORA. “CORA is a really important tool, along with public procurement law, to help the public understand how money is being spent from its public institutions,” Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver, said before casting a “no” vote on the bill, which passed 9-4 late ...
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Senate Republicans unveil constitutional amendment locking SCOTUS at nine justices
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Approved, Courthouse News Service, National

Senate Republicans unveil constitutional amendment locking SCOTUS at nine justices

By Benjamin S. Weiss  | Courthouse News Senate Republicans on Friday offered a retort to months of Democrat scrutiny on the Supreme Court, introducing a constitutional amendment that would block lawmakers from adding more justices to the high court’s bench. The proposed amendment is the GOP majority’s first major legislative foray into the yearslong debate over the Supreme Court — and one that proponents say is a check on efforts to “pack” the bench with liberal-minded justices. “Democrats’ radical court-packing scheme would erase the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and destroy historic precedent,” said Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who joined Texas Senator Ted Cruz in unveiling the measure. READ THE FULL STORY AT COURTHOUSE NEWS
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Colorado will continue closing coal-fueled electric plants in 2025, all by 2031
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The Center Square, Approved, State

Colorado will continue closing coal-fueled electric plants in 2025, all by 2031

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Colorado is slowly phasing out the last of its coal-fueled electrical power plants, even though they still generated a third of the state’s total in-state energy generation in 2023. The Colorado Department of Labor and Energy reports that 10 coal-fired units remain operational throughout the state. One of those 10 is scheduled to close by the end of this year, with the remaining nine units all set to close by the end of 2031. The department reports that the plants are closing for a “variety of reasons.” “The era of coal in Colorado appears to be ending, and that poses serious challenges to the workers and communities that rely on it,” it states. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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In Wheat Ridge, officials are combating traffic congestion with new continuous flow intersections
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Approved, kdvr.com, Local

In Wheat Ridge, officials are combating traffic congestion with new continuous flow intersections

By Shaul Turner | Fox 31 News Denver’s increased traffic is affecting several communities around the metro area. Wheat Ridge will use continuous flow intersections (CFIs) to remedy backups along Wadsworth Boulevard between 38th and 44th streets. “It’s absolutely awful, it’s really impossible to get in here to get groceries,” one resident told FOX31. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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Aurora police say teen faked attempted robbery, shot himself
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Aurora police say teen faked attempted robbery, shot himself

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado Aurora police provided an update on a shooting in Montview Park, stating the teenager involved shot himself in the hand. Initially, the 15-year-old reported to police that he was inside the park around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when he was approached by two unknown men. He said the men reportedly tried to rob him at gunpoint and shot him in the hand when he tried to fight back. He was driven to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening wounds. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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General Assembly recognizes active-duty military, veterans in 10 resolutions
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

General Assembly recognizes active-duty military, veterans in 10 resolutions

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice Active duty military, veterans and those prisoners of war or missing in action who never made it home were all honored Friday with bipartisan measures in the Colorado House and Senate. House Joint Resolution 25-1010, by Republican Rep. Jarvis Caldwell and Sen. Janice Rich and with Democrat Rep. Sean Camacho and Dafna Michaelson Jenet, commemorated Military Appreciation Day. The resolution notes more than 47,000 Coloradans serve in a branch of the armed forces in active or reserved duty, and another 340,000 military veterans call the state home.That is roughly about 8% of the state's population. HJR 25-1011, by Republican Rep. Ryan Armagost and Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer and by Democrat Rep. Matthew Martinez and Sen. Matt Ball, recognized Gold ...
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In a shifting of chairs, Republican parties have new leadership in many Colorado counties
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

In a shifting of chairs, Republican parties have new leadership in many Colorado counties

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice The only constant in life is said to be change. That certainly is the way it may feel for those in a number of county Republican parties around Colorado. From El Paso to Weld to Washington counties and other places dotting the map, new party leadership has been put in place during biennial reorganization, and more could be. In Adams County, both U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert and Gabe Evans spoke before Laura Garcia-Pascoe was elected as the new county Republican chairwoman. "Let’s win big together this cycle," wrote Boebert in a Facebook post and photo with Garcia-Pascoe, after her election. On Monday, during his weekly grassroots call, former Sen. Kevin Lundberg noted Sandra Aste had been named the Larimer County chair. "I am really exc...
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HB 1131, lifting cap on CSU veterinary students, among three bills in each chamber getting second readings Tuesday
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

HB 1131, lifting cap on CSU veterinary students, among three bills in each chamber getting second readings Tuesday

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice A bipartisan bill aimed at lifting the artificial cap on students who may enroll in Colorado State's veterinary program will get a second reading and potentially a preliminary vote on Tuesday, Feb. 11, in the Colorado House. House Bill 25-1131, by Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson and Sen. Byron Pelton and joined by Democrat Rep. Andrew Boesenecker and Sen. Cathy Kipp, lifts the enrollment cap at a time when both small and large animal veterinarians are at a shortage throughout the state, especially in Eastern Colorado where two of the legislators represent. The bill passed the House Education Committee on Feb. 6 with a rare 13-0 vote. The House convenes at 9 a.m. The House will also hear second readings on two Democrat-led bills — HB 25-1010,...
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Tina Peters’ filing argues her actions were protected by the Supremacy Clause
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Tina Peters’ filing argues her actions were protected by the Supremacy Clause

"She [Peters] is pale, has lost weight, and has difficulties with memory and word-finding," filing reads By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters has taken her fight to the U.S. District Court in Colorado, claiming her prosecution violated the U.S. Constitution. On Feb. 7, Peters filed a habeas corpus petition to challenge her incarceration, claiming she was simply doing her duty to preserve election data, as required by federal rules. The petition, filed under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, contests Peters’ denial of bond pending appeal and claims multiple constitutional violations in her trial.  It asserts that her prosecution is invalid because 52 U.S.C. § 20701 requires election officials to preserve election records for 22 months...
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