Rocky Mountain Voice

Approved

Ganahl: Smears and fearmongering—The fight for John Adams Academy and school choice in Douglas County
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

Ganahl: Smears and fearmongering—The fight for John Adams Academy and school choice in Douglas County

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In Douglas County, Colorado, a battle over education choice is brewing as efforts to open a new classical charter school, the John Adams Academy, face fierce opposition. Spearheading the initiative is Ellie Reynolds, a Sterling Ranch resident and mom, and Kim Gilmartin, a seasoned advocate for school choice, who has helped launch multiple classical charter schools across the state.   However, the journey to establish this school in Sterling Ranch, a rapidly growing community with no existing school, has been met with aggressive and, at times, deeply personal hostility. The John Adams Academy, modeled after three successful classical charter schools in California, aims to provide an American classical leadership education...
UCCS under scrutiny for alleged race-based policies in higher education shakeup
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

UCCS under scrutiny for alleged race-based policies in higher education shakeup

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is among more than 50 universities facing federal investigations as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to restore merit-based education and dismantle discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The U.S. Department of Education announced the investigations on Friday, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring that federal funding is not used to support race-based preferences in admissions, scholarships, or other aspects of student life. This move comes after a memo last month warning institutions that such policies violate federal civil rights laws and could result in a loss of federal funding. The investigation into UCCS stems from allegations that the university engaged in ra...
Early cash surge in Colorado’s 8th congressional district as Democrats target Rep. Gabe Evans’ seat
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Early cash surge in Colorado’s 8th congressional district as Democrats target Rep. Gabe Evans’ seat

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel has raised more than $1 million since launching his bid in late January to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado's swingy 8th Congressional District, his campaign said. In just six weeks, Rutinel entered seven-figure territory with the help of more than 23,000 individual contributors, for an average contribution of less than $35, according to the Commerce City state lawmaker's campaign. More than 99% of contributions were under $100, a campaign spokeswoman added. Evans, an Army veteran and retired police officer, is serving his first term representing the Northern Front Range district after defeating Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo by fewer than 2,500 votes in last year's...
Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Few states rival Colorado’s wealth of energy resources, but its oil and gas industry is up against increasing challenges. Small and mid-sized operators, once the industry’s backbone, are struggling with a growing tangle of regulations.  Delayed permits, overlapping oversight and rising fines are making it harder to stay in business, forcing many to reconsider their future in the state. Ryan Clark, Vice President of Engineering at Petrox Resources and a fourth-generation Coloradan working in his family’s oil and gas business, has watched small operators disappear under the weight of increased regulations. "Honestly, I don’t know if oil and gas has a future here," he said. "Growing up, this was a business people bui...
Beck: The Town Square
Approved, Commentary, KimMonson.com

Beck: The Town Square

By Bradley Beck | Commentary, KimMonson.com In a small town lived a man who went by the name of Old Ned. He was a bit of a curmudgeon who liked engaging with people with his not so politically correct stickers plastered on his old truck. These stickers ran the gamut from provocative to humorous, to bordering on being offensive. Old Ned would park his truck around the town square and attract people passing by who would stop and gawk and read the hundreds of stickers plastered from roof to tailgate. Many would laugh, others would be horrified and walk on, and occasionally someone would stop a passing policeman to complain about the offensive words on the stickers, only to be told by the officer, “It’s called free speech.” When people noticed Old Ned sitting on the park bench across ...
Train conductor who revived ski train wants to fix I-70 traffic with ‘rail bridge’
Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Train conductor who revived ski train wants to fix I-70 traffic with ‘rail bridge’

By David O. Williams | Denver Gazette A longtime Amtrak train conductor credited with crafting a business plan that helped revive the mothballed Winter Park Express ski train in 2017 now has a plan to get at least 60% of the commercial truck traffic off of Interstate 70 and free it up for skiers, snowboarders and other mountain travelers. Brad Swartzwelter, 60, retired as conductor of the ski train last spring after 30 years with Amtrak, the federal rail agency that runs the popular, seasonal and recently expanded ski train service between Denver’s Union Station and the city of Denver’s Winter Park Resort. “I-70 congestion has cost us dearly in the snow sports industry, and it is my absolute mission in life … to get people safely, conveniently and economically up to our economic e...
Colorado ‘ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America’ says acting DEA administrator
Approved, DENVER7, State, Top Stories

Colorado ‘ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America’ says acting DEA administrator

ByTony Kovaleski | Denver7 CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said Colorado is “ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America” and leadership for the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. “We are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado,” said Derek Maltz, who stepped into his role just after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, adding that this new information was based on intelligence from front-line agents in the Rocky Mountain Division of the DEA. Maltz was in Denver on Thursday to visit with roughly 150 agents and employees of the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division. He spoke exclusively with Denver7 Investigates during his visit regardi...
Chaos and fraud: A look at the allegations facing ActBlue
Approved, Commentary, National, Washington Examiner

Chaos and fraud: A look at the allegations facing ActBlue

By Robert Schmad | Washington Examiner, Commentary The Democratic Party’s premier fundraising machine is facing an uncertain future amid investigations, staff departures, and political headwinds. ActBlue stands accused by Republicans of illegally collecting money for Democrats during the 2024 election by using deceptive methods. But its brushes with controversy go back further than the last cycle. And its next chapter could be consequential for a Democratic Party that is out of power and directionless. Part 1 of this Washington Examiner series will look at what accusations ActBlue is facing. Republicans in Washington and in states across the nation have accused Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue of a wide range of wrongdoing, from foreign money laundering to financing ...
Huckabee-Sanders: Get rid of the Education Department. Give power to parents
Approved, Commentary, Fox News, National

Huckabee-Sanders: Get rid of the Education Department. Give power to parents

By Sarah Huckabee Sanders | Fox News, Commmentary Long before I was governor of Arkansas or White House press secretary, I came to Washington as a bright-eyed college graduate for my first real job at the Department of Education. I thought I was there to change the world and found myself spending more time changing coffee filters.  But I walked away with one, crystal-clear lesson: it’s time to abolish the federal Department of Education.  I’m a mom of three, so I know that no two kids – not even in the same family – learn the same way. It’s ridiculous, then, to assume that every kid in every community in America would have the same education needs or goals. But that’s exactly the way the Department of Education functions.  READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX NEWS...
Immigration officials arrest second pro-Palestinian protester from Columbia
Approved, National, Scripps News

Immigration officials arrest second pro-Palestinian protester from Columbia

By AP via Scripps News Immigration officials have arrested a second person who participated in Pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, and have revoked the visa of another student, they announced Friday. Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian from the West Bank, was arrested by immigration officers for overstaying her student visa, the Department of Homeland Security said. Kordia’s visa was terminated in January 2022 for “lack of attendance,” the department said. Kordia was previously arrested for her involvement in protests at Columbia in April 2024, it added. The Trump administration also revoked the visa of Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian citizen and doctoral student, on March 5 “for advocating for violence and terrorism." On Tuesday, Srinivasan opted to “self-deport,” the departme...