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Ganahl: A response to Gov. Polis’ State of the State address
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: A response to Gov. Polis’ State of the State address

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Note: The following is a loose translation of Heidi Ganahl's response to Gov. Jared Polis' State of the State address Thursday to members of the 75th legislature. Hi there it’s  Heidi Ganahl, and today I’m here to set the record straight on Governor Polis’ rosy vision for Colorado. While his speech may sound polished, it paints a very different picture than the reality Coloradans are facing every day. Let’s talk about the challenges that weren’t mentioned — or were glossed over. 1. Economic and infrastructure failures: Governor Polis likes to tout Colorado as a land of opportunity, but for many, it’s become a land of unaffordability. Seniors on fixed incomes are being driven out, families can barely afford groceries, and vehi...
CPW Commission denies petition to pause wolf introduction on 10-1 vote
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

CPW Commission denies petition to pause wolf introduction on 10-1 vote

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice In a highly-emotional hearing that lasted more than six hours, Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners took testimony from nearly 100 people concerning whether or not the Commission should vote to approve or deny a petition to pause the wolf introduction program, until all of the mitigation tools were in place and funded. The petition was submitted by groups in 63 of the 64 Colorado counties, and included organizations such as the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association, Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Colorado Farm Bureau, Club 20 and Colorado Wool Growers Association, as well as several local livestock and stockgrowers' associations. Although Commission Chairman Dallas May, from Southeastern Colorado, warned the atte...
Garbo: Zuckerberg ends ‘fact-checking’ in quiet admission of guilt, but fails to acknowledge Facebook’s assault on free speech
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Garbo: Zuckerberg ends ‘fact-checking’ in quiet admission of guilt, but fails to acknowledge Facebook’s assault on free speech

By C. J. Garbo Mark Zuckerberg’s recent announcement that Meta is ending its controversial ‘fact-checking’ program in favor of a ‘community notes’ system marks a subtle, but unmistakable, admission of failure. While Zuckerberg frames this decision as a return to Facebook’s roots of free expression, it is far more than a cultural shift — it is an indictment of years spent suppressing speech, silencing dissent, and betraying the fundamental principles of open dialogue that Facebook was founded upon. When Zuckerberg speaks of “getting back to our roots,” it is soft, carefully curated language designed to sidestep accountability. The reality is far harsher. Facebook didn’t merely stray from its roots; it became a willing enforcer of censorship, bowing to pressure from govern...
Colorado’s large city mayors urge governor, lawmakers not to take away local control to combat crime
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado’s large city mayors urge governor, lawmakers not to take away local control to combat crime

By Luige Del Puerto | Colorado Politics, via The Gazette The mayors of Colorado's three largest cities on Thursday urged Gov. Jared Polis and lawmakers to focus on housing, the economy, and public safety. They notably urged state policymakers to ensure that municipalities retain the flexibility to combat crime. Mayors Mike Johnston of Denver, Mike Coffman of Aurora and Yemi Mobolade of Colorado Springs urged cooperation between the state and cities, implicitly saying legislators should avoid passing policies that would curtail their ability to adopt additional criminal penalties. "Cities must retain the ability to implement solutions that are responsive to community concerns and assign appropriate sentences when crimes are committed," the mayors said in a joint opinion piece. "It ...
Mijares bridges Montrose divides with whiskey bar, now hopes to do so in office
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Mijares bridges Montrose divides with whiskey bar, now hopes to do so in office

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Montrose County Commissioner-elect Scott Mijares never set out to run for office. His path to becoming a public servant started at Wild Horse Wine and Whiskey, a Main Street business he and his wife, Julie, opened in 2021.  Mijares doesn’t fit the typical image of a bar owner.  “People ask me all the time, ‘What’s your favorite whiskey?’ And I tell them, ‘I don’t drink,’ ” he said. “I might take a sip here or there just to be educated, but I learn about the whiskey from the people I serve it to.” The bar business isn’t about indulging in drinks for Mijares. “We talk politics at the Wild Horse,” Mijares said.  “Both our guests and sometimes myself get asked to join the conversation. Our mantra is, the more talk ...
House Republicans launch 23 policy positions in 25-second video to open session
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

House Republicans launch 23 policy positions in 25-second video to open session

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice If Republican House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese did not make it clear enough Wednesday in her address to the Colorado House upon the opening of the 75th General Assembly, the caucus simplified her words. In a 25-second video also released Wednesday, the caucus shared 23 items which it pledges to address during the session. The first item was the topic of the day on Wednesday: affordability. “This session, the House Republicans remain steadfast in addressing the issues of importance to Coloradans,” she said. “Affordability remains at the forefront of our discussions. You will see that in our legislation.” https://twitter.com/COHouseGOP/status/1877394769120235677 The caucus is further expected to focus on lowering crime, defend TAB...
‘Colossal win for women and girls’: Federal court strikes down Biden title IX rewrite
Approved, Daily Wire, National

‘Colossal win for women and girls’: Federal court strikes down Biden title IX rewrite

By Ashe Schow | Daily Wire The Biden administration’s attempt to rewrite Title IX to allow men in women’s sports, locker rooms, and bathrooms, has been struck down nationwide by a federal court. Twenty-six states sued to stop the regulations from going into effect, and the Supreme Court in August provided a temporary stay of the rules. But now a federal court has blocked the regulations from going into effect for all states – even those that didn’t sue to block the regulations. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, one of the attorneys general who led the charge against the change to Title IX, called the latest ruling a “huge win.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DAILY WIRE
Letters: Media should have allowed Jimmy Carter’s funeral to air uninterrupted
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Letters: Media should have allowed Jimmy Carter’s funeral to air uninterrupted

The coverage of the funeral of President Jimmy Carter is another example of the disconnect between Big Media and the audience.  Who tunes in to watch such moments in history?  What do they expect to see and hear? Tuning in at random to CBS, the service began and, after some speakers, the service continued, with music including very moving performances from the Navy Choir.  Unfortunately, if viewers continued to watch on most networks, the music and some other elements of the service were muted, so that the network correspondents could impress viewers with more of their pontification.  Did these networks honestly think most people tuned in to hear these discredited Fake News talking heads yammer on in the middle of Jimmy Carter’s funeral? Give credit where cr...
As California reels, study shows Marshall fire made air in nearby homes hazardous for months
Approved, Local, The Colorado Sun

As California reels, study shows Marshall fire made air in nearby homes hazardous for months

By Michael Booth | The Colorado Sun Direct neighbors of houses burned in the Marshall fire suffered measurable increases in volatile organic compounds from toxic smoke in their homes, and hundreds more residents reported headaches and other health problems, according to companion University of Colorado studies published in late December.  Smoke-weary Los Angeles County residents may want to study up as they sit in limbo during evacuations from the Pacific Palisades/Malibu and Pasadena wildfires sweeping the area this week. The twin CU studies show toxins from burned homes drift into still-standing neighboring homes and create tangible health symptoms for months after fires are put out.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Opening-day bills tackle unionization, wage theft, price gouging, Ozempic and more
Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

Opening-day bills tackle unionization, wage theft, price gouging, Ozempic and more

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Colorado legislative Democrats stormed out of the gate Wednesday by introducing two major pro-labor efforts as well as several cost-of-living bills that are likely to generate significant debate because of the methods they use to bring down costs. Meanwhile, legislators from both parties revived previously killed bills on the first day of the 2025 session, including a proposed limit on grocery-store liquor sales, a proposed study of a single-payer health-care system and a now-bipartisan effort to boost nuclear energy. Plus, a pair of Democrats introduced a bill calling for state regulators to consider the impact on workforce of potential new air-quality regulations. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE SUM & SUBSTANCE