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RNC ’24: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis now poised to speak at GOP convention
Approved, National, Politico

RNC ’24: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis now poised to speak at GOP convention

bY GARY FINEOUT, MERIDITH MCGRAW and KIMBERLY LEONARD | Politico Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose bid for president ended following a distant second place finish in Iowa, is now poised to have a speaking slot on the main stage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week. DeSantis, once seen as a rising conservative star, was initially not scheduled to have a main stage speaking slot during the weeklong celebration of former President Donald Trump, three people familiar with convention plans but not authorized to speak publicly told POLITICO on Tuesday. Two of those people told POLITICO that, as of Wednesday morning, the plans had changed and DeSantis is now in the mix for a spot. The lineup for the convention is set to be announced this week, and plans for speakin...
Lake: Brand-new Republican Party platform leans into popular MAGA for the masses issues
Approved, Commentary, The Free Press

Lake: Brand-new Republican Party platform leans into popular MAGA for the masses issues

By Eli Lake | Commentary, The Free Press For the last eight years, Donald Trump has ignored a basic rule of politics: always expand your base and appeal to as many supporters as possible. Well, if the new Republican Party platform is any indication, Trump is finally taking this conventional advice about elections.  The new document, out this week, is far briefer than past platforms and reads like MAGA for the masses. It’s dedicated to the “forgotten men and women of America.” Trump has used the phrase since 2016, but it was made famous after a 1932 radio speech by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  As one might expect, the document emphasizes immigration, Trump’s signature issue. And in some cases the language is extreme. For example, in the all-cap...
Prairie Ridge Natural Area in Northern Colorado to grow by 140 acres for $1.1M
Approved, Out There Colorado, State

Prairie Ridge Natural Area in Northern Colorado to grow by 140 acres for $1.1M

By Seth Boster | Out There Colorado An area for conservation and recreation is growing in northern Colorado, helping to realize a long-term goal of local land managers. The 140-acre addition to Prairie Ridge Natural Area "represents the final piece in a 25-year effort creating a 3,500-acre separator between Loveland and Fort Collins," read a recent announcement from Great Outdoors Colorado. That was in announcing a $1.1 million grant toward a multi-agency acquisition totaling about $6.7 million. A majority of the funding is from the city of Loveland, which manages Prairie Ridge Natural Area and has led the arrangement with the city of Fort Collins and Larimer County. READ THE FULL STORY AT OUT THERE COLORADO
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, says Biden cannot win, its Trump ‘maybe in landslide’
Approved, denvergazette.com, National

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, says Biden cannot win, its Trump ‘maybe in landslide’

By Reuters (via Denver Gazette) Democratic Sen, Michael Bennet from Colorado told CNN on Tuesday night he thinks Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden cannot win against former Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2024 elections. “Donald Trump is on track I think to win this election, and maybe win it by a landslide and take with it the Senate and the House,” Bennet said in an interview on CNN. Bennet, however, did not call on Biden to step aside as presidential candidate. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
Many Colorado schools will split $11.4M in Juul lawsuit settlement funds for vaping education, prevention
Approved, Chalkbeat Colorado, State

Many Colorado schools will split $11.4M in Juul lawsuit settlement funds for vaping education, prevention

By Melanie Asmar | Chalkbeat Colorado Twenty-one Colorado school districts, seven charter schools, one cooperative education services board, and one youth residential treatment center have been awarded $11.4 million in funding over the next three years for vaping education and prevention programs. The money comes from a $31.7 million settlement between the state of Colorado and e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs Inc. Colorado sued Juul in 2020, alleging that it targeted youth with deceptive marketing and played down the health risks of vaping. In settling the lawsuit, Juul did not admit any wrongdoing. Colorado is poised to spend the bulk of the settlement money on a $20 million grant program aimed at improving children’s mental health. But the state is also giving smaller grants ...
Half of Denver voters’ top concern is homelessness, one-third say taxes are ‘way too high’
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Half of Denver voters’ top concern is homelessness, one-third say taxes are ‘way too high’

By Lisa D'Souza | Fox 31 News A new study from the Colorado Polling Institute shows new insight into how Denver voters feel about the city and its leadership. The numbers come from a bipartisan poll that was conducted in June. According to the results, when it comes to safety and the community, 73% of those polled said they feel “very or somewhat safe” in Denver. This is up from 68% in 2023. READ THE FULL REPORT AT FOX 31 DENVER
Members-only auto race track on course for rural Adams County
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Members-only auto race track on course for rural Adams County

By Gabriela Vidal, Jeff Gurney | CBS Colorado Look on Google Maps and you'll able to see a squiggly line on Colorado's plains just East of Denver International. Airport. It's the beginning of a members-only race track.    "It's a private racing facility," Nick Eagleson, Adams County senior strategic planner told CBS News Colorado.  "Adams County is growing -- obviously it is growing east. There's a lot of benefits because of the location and its proximity to DIA as well as downtown Denver," Eagleson said. Nine parcels of land purchased make up the 600-acre site. It will include a race track, go-cart facility and other venue facilities. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Voters in Aurora will be asked to decide whether to repeal pit bull ban
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, Local

Voters in Aurora will be asked to decide whether to repeal pit bull ban

By Kyla Pearce | Colorado Politics Aurora councilmembers on Monday decided to ask voters in November whether to repeal the city's pit bull ownership ban after a court deemed the council's vote to do so in 2021 to be invalid.  The decision is on appeal, but, in the meantime, the city could vote to put the question on the ballot, according to City Attorney Pete Schulte.   It passed unanimously. Only seven councilmembers were present when the vote was taken — Crystal Murillo and Alison Coombs were in another room listening to protesters who took over the meeting to demand the firing of the SWAT officer who killed Kilyn Lewis, whom the police sought for attempted homicide. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Moore: The case for ‘Draining the Swamp’ is stronger than ever
Approved, Commentary, National, TownHall.com

Moore: The case for ‘Draining the Swamp’ is stronger than ever

By Stephen Moore | Commentary, Townhall.com The latest official employment report finds once again that the federal government and state-local hiring spree is still in full gear. Over the past year, health care and government hiring has outpaced every private sector industry. It isn't just the IRS bringing on thousands of new workers. The bloat is everywhere. So even though there are a lot more government workers, good luck finding them or getting them on the phone. This is because so few of them are actually physically on the job. What's happening in the federal government ("Club Fed") these days borders on the absurd -- or should I say the obscene. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT TOWNHALL.COM Editor's note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author...
Protesters take over Aurora council meeting after ‘apology’ resolution removed from agenda
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Protesters take over Aurora council meeting after ‘apology’ resolution removed from agenda

By Kyla Pearce | Denver Gazette Aurora councilmembers on Monday removed from the agenda a resolution that would have expressed the City Council's "apology and condolences" to the family of a man killed by the police trying to arrest him for attempted homicide.  The decision prompted a "sit-in" on the Council floor and forced the Council meeting to move to another room, as protesters filled the floor below the dais and shouted Kilyn Lewis's name. The protesters took turns at the podium to speak over the sound of the Council meeting being livestreamed from the next room. "I yield my time for item number 11.a.11," protesters said, referring to the agenda item sponsored by Councilmember Alison Coombs. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE