Rocky Mountain Voice

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Devotional: Look ahead for what is to come, not into the past
Approved, Commentary, Texas Scorecard

Devotional: Look ahead for what is to come, not into the past

By Michael Quinn Sullivan | Commentary, Texas Scorecard My high school track coach was of the opinion that the defining characteristic of a good runner was not physical agility but mental focus. His most severe critique was not of a runner’s time but their form. Get the form right, and the times will follow. I’m way past my running prime, but I’ve found that admonition holds true in a lot more than just athletic competition. All these years later, I can still hear Coach Hunt admonishing us. “Don’t look at the track, your feet will find it. Don’t look back; there’s nothing there to care about! Keep those eyes forward! That’s where you’re going!” We all have an almost irresistible desire to look backward. When running, the urge is to see how close the nearest competitor is. But, ...
Boebert, Hurd commit to seamless transition in 3rd District U.S. House leadership
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Boebert, Hurd commit to seamless transition in 3rd District U.S. House leadership

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado Republicans have had some inner-party drama this year. But, teamwork is possible. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Hurd are proving it. In a joint press release, the two pledge a smooth transition of leadership for Colorado's 3rd U.S. House District. Boebert presently serves in the seat. Hurd will serve in the seat come January. They both express confidence in each other and their teams. “As legislators wrap up our work for the 118th Congress, it is critically important that the people of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District experience a smooth transition of representation as Congressman-elect Jeff Hurd begins his term in January,” says Boebert. The congresswoman highlights ongoing collaboration, not...
‘CDOT is going to have to answer some hard questions’: Former, current congressmen want answers on failures
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

‘CDOT is going to have to answer some hard questions’: Former, current congressmen want answers on failures

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Former State Sen. Ray Scott has been trying to hold the Colorado Department of Transportation accountable for more than a decade, even staying engaged on the issue after leaving office. “We have had too many people killed on Colorado highways in the last few years, and this year has had devastating consequences to too many families,” Scott said. Now, he's being joined by the Colorado Republican delegation in Congress, with a letter led and authored by U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, to find solutions. In June 2024, two women, Candace Smith and Trinity Hasse, were killed on Highway 550 near Montrose when they stopped for flaggers in a CDOT work zone and were hit from behind by a speeding vehicle.  Three additional people were inju...
Ganahl: Kroger-Albertsons merger preserves competition, protects jobs and retains price points
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Ganahl: Kroger-Albertsons merger preserves competition, protects jobs and retains price points

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The proposed Kroger-Albertsons merger has become a critical issue in Colorado, where both companies maintain a significant presence. Kroger operates 148 King Soopers and City Market stores, while Albertsons operates 105 Safeway and Albertsons locations.  To address concerns about reduced competition, Kroger and Albertsons have proposed selling 91 stores, including Safeway and Albertsons locations, to C&S Wholesale Grocers. C&S is a national distributor and operator of grocery chains such as Piggly Wiggly. The companies have committed to ensuring no store closures or layoffs of frontline workers as part of this divestiture plan, and C&S has committed to honoring collective bargaining agreements in the acquired stor...
Gov. Polis submits state budget suggesting millions go to education, safety
Approved, kdvr.com, State

Gov. Polis submits state budget suggesting millions go to education, safety

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox 31 News Colorado Gov. Jared Polis submitted the proposed state budget for 2025 to 2026, which suggests putting millions into education and safety. Every year, the governor, elected officials and state agencies submit annual budget requests to the legislature to fund specific state services. This can include health care, human services, education and Colorado roads. In April, Polis signed the 2024-25 state budget with measures that fully funded Colorado schools, created investments into public safety and created new housing. Now, the next state budget is on its way to be determined. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Adams 12 families wonder what’s next for teachers after mill levy fails
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Adams 12 families wonder what’s next for teachers after mill levy fails

By Gabriela Vidal | CBS Colorado It's been over a week since residents in Adams and Broomfield counties sealed the fate of two school measures that could have produced big changes for schools and staff across the Adams 12 Five Star School District. "First of all it was really strange that the bond passed but the mil levy didn't pass," said Heather Delair, a parent of two students in the Adams 12 school district. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Oil and gas industry to push for policy changes under Trump administration
Approved, gazette.com, State

Oil and gas industry to push for policy changes under Trump administration

By Scott Weiser | The Gazette The oil and gas industry sees an opening to reverse "heavy handed mandates" with the incoming Trump administration, arguing that last week's elections showed that Americans want the widest possible portfolio of energy sources — not "government mandates and restrictions." Meanwhile, environmentalists are gearing up for a fight.  In Colorado, oil and gas industry leaders said the state's stringent regulations would adequately protect public health.    READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE
‘Make America Great and Healthy’: Trump taps RFK, Jr., for Health and Human Services secretary
Approved, National, The Daily Signal

‘Make America Great and Healthy’: Trump taps RFK, Jr., for Health and Human Services secretary

By Tyler O'Neil  | Daily Signal President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he would nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services. “I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” the president-elect added. “The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and...
Colorado wildlife officials meet with Western Slope commissioners over wolf reintroduction
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado wildlife officials meet with Western Slope commissioners over wolf reintroduction

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which faces sharp criticism over its plans to release more wolves on the Western Slope in the coming months, met with county commissioners last week from the counties where the next reintroductions are slated to take place. Those counties are Pitkin (Aspen), Rio Blanco, Eagle and Garfield, according to the agency. The idea of more wolves on the Western Slope didn't sit well with county commissioners — except for Pitkin County. And Pitkin County doesn't have state lands, so dropping wolves into that county would require a private landowner to grant Colorado Parks and Wildlife permission to do so. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Long-running Colorado animal sanctuary facing “a lot of hurdles” during critical fundraising period
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

Long-running Colorado animal sanctuary facing “a lot of hurdles” during critical fundraising period

By Ashley Portillo | CBS Colorado The founder of an animal sanctuary in Adams County says because of a cellphone company cutting her phone line and that leading to her landline phone not working, she's down thousands of dollars. With winter coming, she's now worried about how she's going to keep nearly 200 animals fed. Maxine Mager is the owner and founder of Creative Acres, a nonprofit organization which provides no-kill and free-roam sheltering to animals like horses, pigs, and chickens among many others. She says because of the phone issue, she could not get the word out about her fundraising efforts. "They cut my line and apparently they cut it five times. I haven't had a phone for over a month," said Mager. "During that time, we couldn't do any fundraising through t...