Rocky Mountain Voice

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Gaines: The people doing ag in this state need to speak up for each other
Approved, Colorado Accountability Project, Commentary

Gaines: The people doing ag in this state need to speak up for each other

By Cory Gaines | Guest Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Whether you run cattle on the Western Slope of Colorado or you grow forage on the Plains, there are precious few people in Colorado in Production Ag, while there seems a never-ending list of advocates — paid, volunteer, and sometimes from out of state — who are speaking up in support of things that either have the potential to harm producers or that will most assuredly harm them. Listen to any CPW commissioners meeting and you’ll have no trouble at all seeing what I mean. I have heard from people in the past that testifying is a challenge because of jobs, lack of technology, and lack of know how. I understand the constraints and so I made this quick guide to help ease some of those problems, to help you find ways t...
‘This isn’t a goodbye,’ Rep. Boebert says in parting thoughts to 3rd District
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

‘This isn’t a goodbye,’ Rep. Boebert says in parting thoughts to 3rd District

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice In a parting message to Colorado's 3rd District Friday, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert discussed relationships, accomplishments and a hopeful future. "I'm going to continue to be a voice for all of Colorado. This isn't a goodbye," the Republican said in a video posted to her Twitter/X account. "I will still be voting for you, even if you can't vote for me." Boebert served two terms representing the 3rd District of the Western Slope and Southern Colorado in Congress, but shifts to the Eastern Plains and Northern Colorado's 4th District in a third term. Her term expired Friday in the 3rd District, as she was sworn in to the 4th District on Friday. https://twitter.com/RepBoebert/status/1875299423716299085 "I gave you a voice in Washington, D.C...
Sloan: Is Trudeau, who has presided over disaster, exiting stage left?
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Sloan: Is Trudeau, who has presided over disaster, exiting stage left?

By Kelly Sloan | Contributing Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice This made the rounds a couple weeks ago: President-elect Trump, fresh off of announcing his intention to impose a 25% tariff on Candidian goods, reportedly floated to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the idea of absorbing Canada into the Republic as the 51st state. True to form, he immortalized the offer as a clever image on his social media website, Truth Social. The suggestion, everyone knows, was not serious. Trump stands a better chance of buying Greenland from the Danes (a proposal he recently resurrected, this one perhaps semi-seriously.) But it speaks volumes, both to the embattled Canadian PM’s posture in general, and the incoming President’s disdain for him. And given the governing record of the Trudeau ...
Freshman state Rep. Larry Don Suckla brings grit and vision of rancher to legislature
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Freshman state Rep. Larry Don Suckla brings grit and vision of rancher to legislature

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Meet Larry Don Suckla, the cowboy legislator from Colorado's vast District 58, who's set to shake up the Golden Dome with his down-to-Earth wisdom and dash of rural humor. Suckla has attended three training sessions along with other newly-elected state representatives in preparation for the 75th Legislative Session. One thing he’s already noticed? The capitol’s dress code. “I didn’t know you couldn’t wear a hat in the Supreme Court chambers, or denim in the chambers where we’ll be voting,” he said. “But I like to wear black denim — you can’t even tell it’s denim. To me, representing the eight counties of HD58 includes the way I dress." Suckla has engaged in debates over the capitol’s dress code because he sees his a...
Neighbors, acquaintances of Matthew Livelsberger offer range of reactions after Cybertruck explosion
Approved, gazette.com, Local

Neighbors, acquaintances of Matthew Livelsberger offer range of reactions after Cybertruck explosion

By The Gazette A close friend of Matthew Livelsberger's ex-wife said she was stunned when she woke up to the news Thursday morning that the career Army man she knew as "bizarre and unhealthy" was apparently the person involved in the Las Vegas explosion at a Trump hotel. Stacie Wilssens, of Manitou Springs, knew Livelsberger through his former wife, Sara Livelsberger. The women hit it off as friends around 2012 after the Livelsbergers moved to Colorado Springs for Matthew Livelsberger's job with the military. The couple divorced in 2018. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers reward for information on Colorado wolf’s death
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers reward for information on Colorado wolf’s death

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The US Fish and Wildlife Service is offering a reward for information regarding the killing of the male of the Copper Creek wolf pack. The male, known as 2309-OR, was captured in Grand County on Aug. 30 and died on Sept. 3. He was found to be in poor condition. USFWS said a necropsy, which has not yet been released because the investigation is ongoing, revealed that a gunshot wound "initiated the poor condition of the wolf and ultimately led to the cause of death." Wolf 2309-OR was one of 10 wolves from Oregon, which came from packs with a history of killing livestock in that state, that were relocated to Colorado a year ago. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Several notable changes highlight new makeup of legislative committees
Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

Several notable changes highlight new makeup of legislative committees

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Colorado House and Senate leaders have announced the makeup of committees in preparation for Wednesday’s commencement of the 2025 legislative session, making some key panels more Republican and others more Democratic due in part to election results. Republicans picked up three seats in the House in November to end Democrats’ supermajority in that chamber but remain at a significant disadvantage, as Dems hold a 43-22 margin there. Meanwhile, Republicans and Democrats each picked up and lost one seat in the Senate, leaving the Democrats holding a 23-12 in that chamber. In the House, Republicans will hold more committee seats, as House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, grew four committees — Business Affairs & Labor, Education, ...
After two Republicans flip their support, Mike Johnson elected as U.S. House Speaker
Approved, National, Rocky Mountain Voice

After two Republicans flip their support, Mike Johnson elected as U.S. House Speaker

Rep. Thomas Massey of Kentucky only Republican to oppose Johnson as Speaker of 119th Congress By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice After a short period of consternation, Republican Mike Johnson has been elected as Speaker of the U.S. House for the 119th Congress. Johnson ultimately received the necessary 218 votes from a Republican conference of 219 members in the first round of voting, although it briefly appeared he may need at least a second round to get the necessary support. Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas flipped their support from other Republican members to Johnson, handing him the gavel for consecutive sessions. Norman had initially supported Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Self had initially supported Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida. Both ...
Approved, National, Washington Examiner

Surgeon general calls for cancer warning labels on alcohol

By Gabrielle M. Etzel | Washington Examiner Alcohol should come with a warning label indicating it is a leading cause of preventable cancer, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in a new report Friday.  “Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a press release announcing the new 22-page report. Nearly three-quarters of all U.S. adults, 72%, reported that they consumed one or more alcoholic drinks per week, but fewer than half reported that they were aware of the documented relationship between alcohol co...
Mortgage rates kick off 2025 with an increase, nearing 7%
Approved, Fox Business, National

Mortgage rates kick off 2025 with an increase, nearing 7%

By Breck Dumas  | Fox Business Mortgage rates are up for a third straight week to the highest since July, further hindering demand in the already-stagnant housing market. "Inching up to just shy of seven percent, mortgage rates reached their highest point in nearly six months," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. "Compared to this time last year, rates are elevated and the market’s affordability headwinds persist." READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX BUSINESS