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Trump is back: Presidential hopeful reinstated by Meta on Facebook, Instagram
Approved, Fox Business, National

Trump is back: Presidential hopeful reinstated by Meta on Facebook, Instagram

By Sarah Rumpf-Whitten  | Fox Business Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced that they will remove the longstanding restrictions placed on former President Trump's accounts. A Meta spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that the Big Tech giant will lift the bans placed on Trump's Meta accounts that have been in place since Jan. 2021. Meta said the restrictions on Trump's social media will be lifted in "the coming weeks." The change of heart came after Meta reassessed their "responsibility to allow political expression." READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX BUSINESS
Bill would expand military death benefits for families of ROTC cadets
Air Force Times, Approved, National

Bill would expand military death benefits for families of ROTC cadets

By Jonathan Lehrfeld | Air Force Times Parents of young officers in training and incoming recruits who died in connection with military activities want Congress to approve death benefits that others in the armed forces already receive. “It’s just been an absolute nightmare. There’s no aspect of our lives that are the same,” said Jessica Swan. Swan’s daughter, Mackenzie Wilson, 19, a student at Oregon State University and an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet, died in a vehicle accident in June 2022, while at an Air Force base in Idaho for a development program. Family members of active duty troops can collect financial compensation from the military after a service member dies. But Swan received nothing after her child’s death. Loved ones of those in ...
RNC Chair Michael Whatley promises convention showcasing Trump’s strength, Biden’s weakness
Approved, National, The Washington Times

RNC Chair Michael Whatley promises convention showcasing Trump’s strength, Biden’s weakness

By Seth McLaughlin | The Washington Times The head of the Republican National Committee says the challenges confronting Democrats this election cycle run far deeper than President Biden’s physical health. Michael Whatley, who took over the RNC in March, said the intense focus on Mr. Biden’s cognitive decline discounts the depth to which the Democratic vision has turned off voters of all stripes. “There’s not a single Democrat that they’re going to put in place of Joe Biden that’s going to change a single one of the policies that have absolutely crushed American families,” Mr. Whatley told The Washington Times in an interview Thursday. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WASHINGTON TIMES
‘Uncertainty’ hits Boulder Valley S.D. amid enrollment decline, new funding law and tax cap measure
Approved, Boulder Reporting Lab, Local

‘Uncertainty’ hits Boulder Valley S.D. amid enrollment decline, new funding law and tax cap measure

By Jenna Sampson | Boulder Reporting Lab The Boulder Valley School District is set to spend over $550 million on operating expenditures next school year. In lockstep with declining enrollment, fixed costs continue to rise, increasing the cost per student. Boulder spends over $4,000 more per pupil than the state average of $15,000, with some schools allocating over $22,000 per student. This yearly enrollment decline of 1.5%, combined with a new funding law and a November 2024 ballot measure to cap property taxes — a major revenue source for BVSD — has sparked concerns about the district’s future budget. Although the new funding law may provide additional state aid, this will be offset by declining enrollment unless the district manages to reduce fixed costs. One potenti...
State vet: 1.8 million head of poultry depopulated due to bird flu in Weld County
Approved, State, thefencepost.com

State vet: 1.8 million head of poultry depopulated due to bird flu in Weld County

By Rachel Gabel  | The Fence Post The most recent report of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has resulted in the depopulation of 1.8 million head of poultry at a commercial table egg facility in Weld County. Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin said the state’s dairies and poultry facilities have cooperated with her office diligently to reduce the spread of HPAI. Baldwin said the monitoring, testing and reporting of HPAI in Colorado is a result of the cooperation between producers and partners, including the State Veterinarian’s office and is important to reduce the spread between dairies and poultry facilities. “Do I think Colorado has the most cases in the nation? No. Do I think Colorado has the most reported cases in the nation? Yes. Absolutely,” Baldwin said....
Democrat U.S. Rep. Pettersen joins the fray of those asking Biden to ‘please pass the torch’
Approved, kdvr.com, State

Democrat U.S. Rep. Pettersen joins the fray of those asking Biden to ‘please pass the torch’

By Morgan Whitley | Fox 31 News Rep. Brittany Pettersen, from Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, is the latest politician to call on President Joe Biden to step down as the Democratic candidate. On Friday, Pettersen posted a statement on her personal X account asking Biden to “please pass the torch.” Pettersen represents the 7th Congressional District of Colorado in Jefferson, Broomfield, Lake, Park, Teller, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer County after being elected in 2022. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Aurora police preparing to roll out auto theft tracking program
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Aurora police preparing to roll out auto theft tracking program

By Kyla Pearce | Denver Gazette Aurora Police Department is preparing to roll out a new tracking program that would enable officials to locate stolen cars. The goal is to spread the program, called Metro Track, across the region to make it more powerful, APD Division Chief Mark Hildebrand said at a Thursday Public Safety, Courts and Civil Service Committee meeting. Metro Track, done in collaboration with the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Agency (CATPA), is based on a similar program in Cook County, Illinois, and another similar program in Denver, called DenverTrack, Hildebrand said. Those interested in participating in the program can enroll with the police department, giving officers consent to track the car in the event that it gets stolen. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER ...
Four takeaways from the ‘Big Boy’ presser Biden used to try and save his candidacy
Approved, National, Washington Examiner

Four takeaways from the ‘Big Boy’ presser Biden used to try and save his candidacy

By Jack Birle | Washington Examiner President Joe Biden‘s press conference was intended to help end the growing list of doubts within the Democratic Party about his candidacy, but the event has not stopped the questions about whether he can continue as the nominee. Scheduled two weeks after his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump, Biden’s appearance at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., offered mixed results as he was able to survive the rare solo news conference. Throughout his press conference, Biden was asked directly by journalists about mounting pressure for him to drop out of the presidential race — from those worried about his ability to win to those concerned about downballot effects. He defiantly proclaimed that he believes...
In Elbert County, manager and attorney get 40% pay increases, with perks
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

In Elbert County, manager and attorney get 40% pay increases, with perks

By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics Two of Elbert County’s top officials received contract extensions this year, each with pay raises and county-owned cars, among other perks. The Board of County Commissioners extended “Engagement of Service” contracts to County Manager Shawn Fletcher and County Attorney Bart Greer. Fletcher, who has been on the job for less than 18 months, saw a pay bump of $80,000 over his 2023 contract, bringing his annual salary to $220,000. Additionally, he gets the use of a county-owned or leased vehicle, a monthly housing allowance of $1,500, and an extra two weeks (8 days) of vacation leave above his current accrual rate. Greer, who has represented the county for close to seven years, will also receive an annual salary of $220,000 and use a county ve...
Colorado’s 11-foot tall, 27-foot-long stegosaurus to be auctioned by Sotheby’s July 17
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado’s 11-foot tall, 27-foot-long stegosaurus to be auctioned by Sotheby’s July 17

By The Associated Press (via The Colorado Sun) The nearly complete fossilized remains of a 161-million-year-old stegosaurus discovered in Colorado in 2022 will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York next week, auction house officials said. The dinosaur that Sotheby’s calls Apex stands 11 feet tall and measures 27 feet nose to tail, according to Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s global head of science and popular culture. The stegosaurus, with its distinctive pointy dorsal plates, is one of the world’s most recognizable dinosaurs. Apex, which Hatton called “a coloring book dinosaur,” was discovered in May 2022 on private land near the town of Dinosaur. The excavation was completed in October 2023, Sotheby’s said. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN