Rocky Mountain Voice

Approved

Wolf killed in Grand County was shot; federal officials seeking information
Approved, kdvr.com, State

Wolf killed in Grand County was shot; federal officials seeking information

By Jacob Factor | Fox 31 News Federal officials are seeking information in the illegal deadly shooting of one of the reintroduced gray wolves that died in Grand County in 2024. The wolf, one of three that died in 2024, was the adult male wolf of the Copper Creek pack Colorado Parks and Wildlife captured in 2024 that repeatedly attacked livestock, prompting the whole pack’s capture. The male wolf died less than a week after his capture, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said at the time. Parks and Wildlife staff found the wolf already in poor condition, with several injuries to his right hind leg and a body weight nearly 30 percent lower than when he was released. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Enforcement in place for new law to automatically fine express lane violators
Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Enforcement in place for new law to automatically fine express lane violators

By Jasmine Arenas | CBS Colorado Effective Jan. 1, drivers who weave in and out of express lanes in Colorado will automatically be ticketed. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is introducing electronic enforcement along US-36, I-70 through Denver, and the I-25 South Gap, using cameras and sensors to monitor toll lanes. This includes areas outside designated zones in Central 70, I-25 South Gap, and the US-36 corridors. During a 30-day grace period, thousands of warnings were issued to drivers who entered and exited express lanes improperly. But as of Jan. 1, violators will be fined. Tim Hoover, a spokesperson for CDOT, says this was created to make the roads safer for drivers. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Massive dockworker strike could land in Trump Admin’s lap on day one
Approved, National, The Daily Caller

Massive dockworker strike could land in Trump Admin’s lap on day one

By Wallace White | Daily Caller A costly dockworkers’ strike could ignite just days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, presenting the Republican’s administration with a major domestic challenge on day one. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), which represents 47,000 workers, is planning to strike on Jan. 15 after a short three-day strike in October, where the union secured a 62% pay raise over six years from United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). However, negotiations concerning port automation with shipping companies continue to stall, and industry giant Maersk said there have been no new developments, according to Bloomberg Tuesday. “The conditional agreement on wages is set to expire on January 15. If no agreement is reached by that date, a coast-...
Upticks in Denver COVID, RSV, flu, norovirus cases brewing a post-holiday quadruple punch
Approved, gazette.com, Local

Upticks in Denver COVID, RSV, flu, norovirus cases brewing a post-holiday quadruple punch

By Deborah Grigsby | Denver Gazette It’s not unusual for health officials to see a rise in the standard trifecta of co-circulating winter viruses — influenza, RSV and COVID-19 — particularly as people return from extended holiday travel and gatherings. But this year officials with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) said norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea, is a fourth component joining the mix. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
What Matthew Livelsberger texted ex days before Cybertruck explosion at Trump hotel in Las Vegas
Approved, gazette.com, National

What Matthew Livelsberger texted ex days before Cybertruck explosion at Trump hotel in Las Vegas

By Carol McKinley | The Gazette Alicia Arritt had no inkling that her ex-boyfriend was planning to blow up one of the swankiest hotels on the Las Vegas strip.  In the days before the explosion and apparent suicide, Matthew Livelsberger’s texts to her were playful, almost like a kid with a new toy.  “I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It’s the s***,” he wrote her at 9 a.m. on Sunday from Denver. He continued to text her until New Year’s Eve, sending photos and music videos of the vehicle.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
DOJ spent over $100 million pushing DEI, restorative justice in classrooms, report finds
Approved, Daily Wire, National

DOJ spent over $100 million pushing DEI, restorative justice in classrooms, report finds

By Mary Margaret Olohan | Daily Wire The Department of Justice spent over $100 million on proposals promoting woke content in classrooms between 2021 and 2024, according to a new report first obtained by The Daily Wire. An investigation conducted by Parents Defending Education (PDE) found that the Biden DOJ awarded over $100,113,942 through 102 grants, throughout 36 states, impacting 946 school districts and upwards of 3 million K-12 students. Those funds were spent on proposals promoting restorative justice practices, social and emotional learning practices, and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in the classroom over the past four years, The Daily Wire has learned. The funds were awarded through the Justice Department’s STOP School Violence Program, w...
Ranchers hit CPW with $580k in compensation claims for livestock impacted by wolves
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Ranchers hit CPW with $580k in compensation claims for livestock impacted by wolves

By Tracy Ross | The Colorado Sun Ranchers in Grand County hit Colorado Parks and Wildlife with a $582,000 bill for wolf kills and related impacts on cattle and sheep in the first year of reintroduction, and they are hoping the sum will convince the parks and wildlife commission to pause the next phase of the program at its meeting in Denver on Jan. 8.  The claims are from three producers and center around attacks on livestock in 2024. A breakdown includes $18,411.71 for confirmed attacks resulting in injury or death of cows, calves and sheep; $173,526.63 for yearling cattle, calves and sheep reported missing from ranches with a confirmed attack or death; $216,772.20 for cattle from said ranches taken to market with a lower-than-normal weight; $172,754.64 for lower conception rat...
Fields: ‘If politicians won’t do it, the people still can’
Approved, Commentary, denvergazette.com

Fields: ‘If politicians won’t do it, the people still can’

By Michael Fields | Commentary, Denver Gazette Grassroots Coloradans made their voices heard in 2024. The year was marked by voters across the political spectrum demanding commonsense reforms to address real-world problems — including sky-high property taxes and soaring crime rates — that the far-left Legislature wanted to duck. It was a reminder to elected officials that the people are ultimately in charge. The citizen initiative process acts as a safety valve when the men and women we elect are disconnected from the everyday concerns and challenges facing their constituents. Too often legislators are ideologically resistant to reforms that are urgently needed. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are t...
Evergreen Lake Plunge draws hundreds to frigid dip to start the New Year
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Evergreen Lake Plunge draws hundreds to frigid dip to start the New Year

By CBS Colorado New Year's morning drew hundreds of people for a longstanding tradition in Evergreen. The Evergreen Lake Plunge brought over 350 people to jump in a hole cut in the ice of the frigid lake. "I don't know. Why are we doing this? For fun," said one mom there with her two boys. Water temperatures hovered a few degrees above freezing as Evergreen Fire Rescue cut through the foot-thick ice to open a hole for the plungers. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
What to know about the 2025 National Western Stock Show Kick-Off Parade
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

What to know about the 2025 National Western Stock Show Kick-Off Parade

By Morgan Whitley | Fox 31 News Get your best cowboy attire ready, the National Western Stock Show Kick-Off Parade is a week from Thursday. On Thursday, Jan. 9, at noon, downtown Denver will be flooded with boots, chaps, cowboy hats and cattle to usher in the 119-year-old Colorado tradition. Aside from the cowboys and cowgirls, an array of over 30 Longhorn cattle, horses and western wagons will trot down the streets of downtown Denver. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS