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As classroom cellphone disruptions increase, students and educators spar over bans in schools
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

As classroom cellphone disruptions increase, students and educators spar over bans in schools

By Erica Breunlin | Colorado Sun In the last years of Jill Haffley’s teaching career, her lessons were increasingly punctuated by the buzz of a text message, sometimes even a “cacophony of noises” as students’ cellphones erupted with rings and dings. Those weren’t the only disruptions or distractions in her classes. Some of her students would tune into a Netflix show or YouTube videos. Others played video games. All on their cellphones, heads bent down. She also remembers teens who would ask to go to the bathroom during class, where they would meet a friend to record TikTok videos. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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New chancellor of CU a proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion policy
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Approved, Chalkbeat Colorado, State

New chancellor of CU a proponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion policy

By Jason Gonzales | Chalkbeat Colorado Just six weeks into the job, University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz has jumped in with both feet embracing his school spirit. As he took meetings on Tuesday, he wore a black, gold, and white pair of custom Nikes with his initials on them. While he has embraced representing the state’s flagship institution, he’s taking a slower approach to putting his own stamp on Colorado’s largest university. He said he’s committed to ensuring that CU Boulder’s student body better represents the state, helping more students graduate, and furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Schwartz said that before he makes decisions he asks many questions and has numerous conversations — and that means he’s still evaluating. READ THE F...
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If you have $48.5M, you can get the Walton-owned recording retreat of the stars
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Approved, BizWest, Local

If you have $48.5M, you can get the Walton-owned recording retreat of the stars

By BizWest The Walton family, the billionaire clan that owns Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is attempting to sell Caribou Ranch, a 1,700-acre property in the Rocky Mountain foothills near Nederland that for decades served as a recording retreat for mega-star musicians such as the Beach Boys, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire. The asking price: a cool $48.5 million. Caribou Ranch, built in 1972 by record producer James William Guercio, is owned by Indian Peaks Holdings LLC, Boulder County property records show. That entity is registered with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office to the same Bentonville, Arkansas, address Walton Enterprises LLC, the Walton’s family office.  READ THE FULL STORY AT BIZWEST
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Mayor’s push for ‘affordable’ housing will lead to Denver voters considering $100M sales tax hike in November
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Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Mayor’s push for ‘affordable’ housing will lead to Denver voters considering $100M sales tax hike in November

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette A divided Denver City Council on Monday approved a measure that will ask Denver voters in November to hike the city’s sales tax by 0.5 points to generate $100 million, which Mayor Mike Johnston wants to spend on "affordable" housing.  The council adopted several amendments, including a 40-year sunset provision. If approved by voters, Denver’s sales tax would be 9.31%, and if another sales tax measure to fund Denver Health — the city’s hospital system — also sails through, the sales tax would increase by another 0.34 points. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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State Senate a battleground as Republicans attempt to prevent Dems’ supermajority in both chambers
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

State Senate a battleground as Republicans attempt to prevent Dems’ supermajority in both chambers

By Marissa Ventrelli  | Colorado Politics With just one seat needed for Colorado Democrats to secure a supermajority in the Senate, this year's election is pivotal. If House Democrats stay above the two-thirds of the seats won in the last election, the party will hold supermajorities in both chambers.  Democrats already have firm control of the levers of power at the state Capitol, given its members occupy all of the statewide seats, including the governor's office, plus the majority in both chambers. Having a supermajority in both chambers would provide Democrats with a veto-proof majority. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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‘Have you seen me?’: Republican billboard notes absence of 8th District Democrat Yadira Caraveo from DNC
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

‘Have you seen me?’: Republican billboard notes absence of 8th District Democrat Yadira Caraveo from DNC

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics The House Republicans' campaign arm wants people flocking to the Democratic National Convention to know that a handful of vulnerable Democratic incumbents — including U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo — won't be on hand this week in Chicago. Caraveo, a Thornton pediatrician seeking reelection in Colorado's battleground 8th Congressional District, is among five House Democrats targeted with a mobile billboard hired to circle the convention, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee told Colorado Politics. "Have you seen me?" says the electronic billboard, alongside photographs of Vice President Kamala Harris and the five Democrats labeled "Harris enablers" by the NRCC. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Three wolf pups caught on video confirmed to be part of Grand County pack
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Three wolf pups caught on video confirmed to be part of Grand County pack

By Tracy Ross | The Colorado Sun Colorado’s first introduced wolf pack has three confirmed puppies with at least one weighing in the 30- to 40-pound range.    The news comes after Mike Usalavage posted a video on social media Aug. 17 of the lanky pups playing in a rain puddle and wrestling on a dirt road in an undisclosed location. A few minutes into the video, Usalavage’s passenger says he spots the mother, which CPW confirms was with them.  Two small dogs sitting inside the vehicle begin to whine and bark as they watch the gray-and-white pups splashing in the water. But the wolves appear completely unaware of the vehicle and its passengers or at least unbothered by it.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Evans accepts four debates in 8th District U.S. House race, asks Caraveo to do the same
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Evans accepts four debates in 8th District U.S. House race, asks Caraveo to do the same

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Gabe Evans has accepted four debate invitations in Colorado's 8th District race for the U.S. House. The Republican has agreed to appear in debates presented by CBS, 9News, Fox31, and Colorado Politics. “Two years ago, [8th District] voters only got to observe one, 30-minute debate in the race for Congress. Voters deserve better,” Evans said in a statement. “There are tremendous differences between [Democrat] Yadira Caraveo and me on crime, the border, jobs and the cost of living. As candidates for Congress, we owe it to the voters to articulate and explain our positions on these and other important issues." Evans served 12 years in the U.S. Army and Colorado Army National Guard as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot and company commander. He dep...
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Devotional: Beyond stolen valor, understanding true courage in leadership
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Approved, Commentary, Local

Devotional: Beyond stolen valor, understanding true courage in leadership

By DRAKE HUNTER | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Valor denotes boldness and determination when encountering great danger, reflecting courage and resilience in one's character amidst the most demanding and challenging situations, circumstances and people. With more than 20 years of active-duty service in the Air Force, seven of which were with the Wyoming National Guard, I honorably retired in 2005. The same year, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (Democratic Vice President Nominee) retired as a guardsman. Like Command Sgt. Maj. Walz, I was also a first sergeant who understood the victories and challenges of that particular role and responsibility. Be sure to catch Pastor Drake Hunter's podcast 'JUST SAYIN' here or through your podcast provider. My journey to understanding valor was n...
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Constas: Colorado’s property tax crisis, the partisan divide driving the state’s housing affordability crisis
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Constas: Colorado’s property tax crisis, the partisan divide driving the state’s housing affordability crisis

By James Constas | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Homeowners across Colorado with mortgages are opening their annual escrow analyses and facing a shocking reality. I am one of them.  To my dismay, I discovered my mortgage will increase by a staggering $1,000 per month. This 54% surge in my monthly payment was driven by soaring property taxes and an even more exorbitant rise in homeowner's insurance premiums. Astonishingly, I now pay more towards taxes and insurance than towards the principal and interest on the property! Outraged, I shared my escrow analysis on X (formerly known as Twitter), where it garnered 887 likes, 263 retweets, and over 24,000 views in just 24 hours, clearly striking a chord. The 72 comments came from fellow homeowners sharing their fiscal misery and ...
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