Rocky Mountain Voice

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RMV Contributor: When public office becomes a family business on the taxpayer’s dime
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

RMV Contributor: When public office becomes a family business on the taxpayer’s dime

By RMV Contributor | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Elon Musk has exposed the grift of the politically-connected who abuse their access and offices to convert public dollars to private gain using tax-funded, non-governmental organizations (NGOs, typically non-profits). We have uncovered a local politician here in Colorado who appears to be doing this – and both she and several family members are benefitting financially. The politician in question is Lorena Garcia, the state house lawmaker for District 35, representing parts of Adams and Jefferson Counties.  Garcia was appointed to the Colorado legislature in early January 2023 after Adrienne Benavidez resigned for unspecified reasons (the mess created by questionable resignations and vacancy appointments in Colorado i...
Rural Colorado school districts that once served students online could see brunt of major state budget cuts
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Rural Colorado school districts that once served students online could see brunt of major state budget cuts

By Erica Breunlin | The Colorado Sun As Colorado lawmakers try to solve a state budget crisis, Gov. Jared Polis’ office is advocating for a new set of changes to student averaging that would significantly impact a handful of rural school districts and charter schools that found a lifeline for their budgets by enrolling online homeschool students. Vilas School District RE-5, in far southeastern Colorado, along with Plainview School District Re-2, about 100 miles to the north, and three Colorado Early Colleges campuses in recent years ran online enrichment programs for homeschool students with help from an outside vendor. Those programs — which the districts and charter schools no longer operate — emerged during the pandemic, when the Colorado Department of Education relaxed rules a...
White House withdraws Stefanik U.N. Ambassador nomination to oprotect GOP’s tight majority
Approved, National, National Review

White House withdraws Stefanik U.N. Ambassador nomination to oprotect GOP’s tight majority

By  James Lynch | National Review The Trump administration is withdrawing its nomination of Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) to serve as the next Ambassador to the United Nations to help protect the slim Republican majority in the House. “With a very tight Majority, I don’t want to take a chance on anyone else running for Elise’s seat. The people love Elise and, with her, we have nothing to worry about come Election Day. There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People,” President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social. “I look forward to the day when Elise is able to join my Administration in the future. She is absolutely FANTASTIC. Th...
Chuck Schumer on the wrong side of Democrats
Approved, MIG Reports, National

Chuck Schumer on the wrong side of Democrats

By MIG Reports Key Takeaways: Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing sharp criticism within his own party for voting with Republicans on the CR to prevent government shutdown. A significant 80% of Democratic discussion about Schumer’s vote on the CR is negative, with 70% of overall discussion among Democrats also negative. Republicans are taking the opportunity to claim a narrative win as Democrats continue to struggle with the future direction and leadership of their party.  Chuck Schumer backed the Republican-led Continuing Resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown, causing a political firestorm in his own party. Normally a routine funding measure, the CR exposes fractures in Democratic ranks, raises questions about Schumer’s leadership, and gives Rep...
Colorado’s gray wolves edge closer to Denver metro area: CPW map
Approved, kdvr.com, State

Colorado’s gray wolves edge closer to Denver metro area: CPW map

By Jacob Factor | Fox 31 News DENVER (KDVR) — At least one of Colorado’s gray wolves in March entered a new Denver area county and new watersheds in northern Park County, some of the closest areas to the Denver metro they have been tracked since their initial reintroduction. Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Wednesday released a new map for collared wolf activity between Feb. 25 and March 25, showing wolf activity in Clear Creek County and in watersheds that extend into northern Park County toward the Jefferson County border.USDA confirms wolf relocated to Colorado killed by Wildlife Services in Wyoming CPW tracks the wolves based on watersheds they enter at some point in the month-long span, but they do not report exact locations within those watersheds. This map shows...
Epp: Shake Ups at CDoS — Is a Perkins Coie Alum Now Running CO Elections?
Approved, Colorado Free Press, Commentary, Top Stories

Epp: Shake Ups at CDoS — Is a Perkins Coie Alum Now Running CO Elections?

By Ashe Epp | Colorado Free Press On Wednesday, the Secretary of State issued a much anticipated response to President Trump’s Election Integrity EO. Jena hasn’t posted on X since November, and the department has been quiet — hence the “much anticipated” billing. The release fell flat. But the header information is news. The Deputy Secretary of State is listed as Andrew Kline. What happened to Christopher Perry Beall? There has been no official announcement that (former?) Deputy Secretary Christopher Perry Beall left the Department. It’s an explosive development.  Colorado Free Press spoke to a county clerk that confirmed, “[He] told us Monday he took a five week sabbatical. He said he used to work for Phil Weiser, and he was going to go back to being a l...
District 49’s two sexes resolution headed to executive hearing
Approved, KOAA News, Local

District 49’s two sexes resolution headed to executive hearing

By Noah Caplan | KOAA News5 COLORADO SPRINGS — School District 49 (D49) Board Members discussed a resolution recognizing only two sexes and keeping gender ideologies out of schools. As a result of Wednesday's meeting, this resolution is now headed to an executive session that will take place before the district's April 10 board meeting. Citing multiple executive orders made by the Trump Administration, This resolution, if approved, would establish three main guidelines: Establish there are only two sexes recognized by the district Ensure there is no male/female overlap in school bathrooms or locker rooms Ensure there is no male/female overlap in sports Board President Lori Thompson said this must be done to avoid the district losing any federal funding. READ FULL ...
Colorado ranchers and commissioners urge halt on wolf ballot measure, seek better management plan from state
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado ranchers and commissioners urge halt on wolf ballot measure, seek better management plan from state

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics While they might agree on the problem, a group of Western Slope county commissioners and agricultural groups are asking proponents of a ballot measure to repeal Proposition 114, which allowed the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado, to back off. A March 17 letter was sent to Patrick Davis, who heads Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy, which is supporting the repeal ballot measure. The signatories are county commissioners from Garfield, Grand, Mesa, Moffat, Montrose and Rio Blanco counties and four county-based wool growers associations. The letter indicates that ranchers and county officials opposed to the reintroduction program are willing to work within the system, utilizing the state's wolf management plan as a means of addressing...
Colorado Republicans call on Polis to block police officer’s killer from early-parole program
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Colorado Republicans call on Polis to block police officer’s killer from early-parole program

By Ernest Luning | Denver Gazette The four Republican members of Colorado's congressional delegation are calling on Gov. Jared Polis to prevent a man convicted of killing a Denver police officer in 2005 from joining a program that could lead to his early release. Polis' office, however, said the governor has no role in the process and accused the GOP lawmakers of grandstanding around a "heinous crime." In a letter dated March 21 led by U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, a former state lawmaker and Arvada police officer, Evans and U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank and Jeff Hurd asked Polis to join them in urging the executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections to reject an application by Raul Gomez-Garcia to participate in a program that allows certain inmates to l...
Trump threatens even larger tariffs on EU, Canada if they work together to cause ‘economic harm’ to the US
Approved, Fox Business, National

Trump threatens even larger tariffs on EU, Canada if they work together to cause ‘economic harm’ to the US

By Bradford Betz | Fox Business President Donald Trump early Thursday threatened even larger tariffs on the European Union and Canada if both economies worked together to do "economic harm to the USA."  Writing on his Truth Social platform, the president warned: "If the European Union works with Canada in order to do economic harm to the USA, large scale Tariffs, far larger than currently planned, will be placed on them both in order to protect the best friend that each of these countries has ever had!"  The post comes after the president announced on Wednesday he would impose a 25% tariff on all imported autos.  The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) issued a statement Thursday saying it was "deeply concerned" by Trump's announcement of additional tarif...