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Rep. Hurd refuses pay, passes first bill and earns Trump endorsement in decisive week
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Rep. Hurd refuses pay, passes first bill and earns Trump endorsement in decisive week

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice President Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement” of Congressman Jeff Hurd on Saturday capped a remarkable week for the freshman lawmaker from Colorado’s Third District. Trump praised Hurd's “strong Record of SUCCESS,” for “fighting tirelessly to… Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations...” and “HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.” Hurd has characterized his first term as a test of performance over politics. “If you look at all that we’ve accomplished in the first eight months of this Congress, it’s more than a lot of congresses accomplish in their entire two years,” Hurd told Rocky Mountain Voice before returning to session after the summer recess. “We’ve passed 27 pieces of legislation that have actually gotten...
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Tri-Lakes parents back Ginger Schaaf for D38 School Board—and stronger schools
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Tri-Lakes parents back Ginger Schaaf for D38 School Board—and stronger schools

By Amy Stephens | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Two years ago, Ginger Schaaf and her family moved to Monument after her husband retired from military service. Having lived in Olympia, Washington, they were ready to leave behind “woke” policies that made it untenable to stay. “It was so extreme that at local sports games there wasn’t even an American flag,” Ginger recalled. “You had to put your hand on your chest and look to the sky.” When the Schaafs chose Monument, it was because of the area’s strong sense of community and its reputation for excellent schools—something they wanted for their middle- and high-school-age sons. So when Ginger learned that progressive community organizer Jackie Burhans had entered the D38 school-board race, she knew she had to step forward. ...
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The Upper Basin Compact in a nutshell
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

The Upper Basin Compact in a nutshell

By Steve Harris | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Editor’s note: This is Part 5 of 6 in the Water Time Reflections series by Steve Harris, marking 100 years since the Colorado River Compact. In this installment, Harris examines the 1948 Upper Colorado River Basin Compact—how it divided water among the Upper Basin states, shaped drought management, and continues to guide allocations today. For those of us in the Upper Colorado River Basin, we have the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact (UBC) that was negotiated from 1946 to 1948, and was ratified in 1948 (a copy is available by clicking here). The UBC is as important to the Upper Basin States as the Colorado River Compact (CRC) is for the entire basin because it allocates water to each state including during shortages. Though n...
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Colorado’s clean-energy crusade looks a lot like Germany’s—and that should scare us
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Substack, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s clean-energy crusade looks a lot like Germany’s—and that should scare us

By Michael Hancock | Commentary, Michael Hancock’s Undercurrent A warning for Colorado before it repeats Europe’s green mistakes. Germany tried to save the planet — and ended up saving nothing, not even itself. The same ideology that shut down its nuclear plants, drove up energy prices, and gutted its industries is now being repackaged in Colorado under the banner of “climate justice.” The warnings are flashing red, but our leaders seem too busy chasing virtue to notice the cliff ahead. Germany once led the world in renewable energy. It also now leads it in self-inflicted economic decline. After spending hundreds of billions of euros to “go green,” the country that once symbolized industrial excellence now faces soaring energy prices, factory closures, and an exodus of jobs. ...
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Can you regulate the sound of commerce without sinking trade?
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Can you regulate the sound of commerce without sinking trade?

By Greg Walcher | Commentary, GregWalcher.com When Congress authorized nearly $400 billion in climate subsidies, the bill was called the “Inflation Reduction Act,” though it had nothing to do with inflation. The 2001 “Patriot Act” was about expanding government surveillance powers, not patriotism. The massive new federal health insurance program was called “Affordable Care Act,” though it did not reduce the cost of anything. And we call laws restricting mandatory union contracts “right to work,” though they create no jobs. Popular-sounding names enhance the chances of acceptance for many proposals that might otherwise fail the test of public opinion. Calling a new program of government regulations, fees, and permits a “market-based solution” might appeal to folks who would otherwise ...
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Angela Lema’s commitment keeps District 51 Schools grounded in results
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Angela Lema’s commitment keeps District 51 Schools grounded in results

By Sara Fletcher | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Angela Lema stands as the embodiment of principled leadership and steadfast commitment in her role as a District 51 school board Director. Her contributions have had a meaningful effect on District 51 families and staff, underpinned by her extensive experience as a trade school owner and active community member for nearly twenty years. Throughout her career, Angela has guided countless young adults into the valley’s workforce, fulfilling the roles of mentor, teacher, and respected business owner. Significant Committee Work and Project Oversight Among Angela’s notable achievements is her dedication to committee work, particularly her three-year involvement with the Owners, Architect, and Contractors Special Committee. She pa...
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In Aurora, Danielle Jurinsky doesn’t talk change—she works for it
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

In Aurora, Danielle Jurinsky doesn’t talk change—she works for it

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Since taking office in 2021, Danielle Jurinsky has thrown herself into Aurora’s challenges. She’s backed measures to curb crime and pushed to ease the load on small businesses and residents when it comes to local taxes. But Jurinsky’s work hasn’t stopped at city hall — she’s known for showing up at neighborhood cleanups, community events, and talking face-to-face with the people she represents. One of her biggest moments came when she raised the alarm about a violent gang terrorizing residents at local apartment complexes— while others looked the other way. -https://www.danielleforaurora.com/about Taking the risk to tell the truth about Tren de Aragua She made national headlines when she publicly ...
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Parents vs. unions: The battle over Mesa County’s schools
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Parents vs. unions: The battle over Mesa County’s schools

By Kent Zook | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The same people and organizations trying to replace District 51 School board members, Andrea Haitz, Will Jones, and Angela Lema are the ones responsible for neglecting our schools in the first place. Previous board leadership allowed facilities to deteriorate to the point that repair costs became unfeasible. Union-backed leaders pushed for schools to remain closed longer during COVID-19 and for students to continue masking despite mounting evidence that masks did little to prevent transmission. On August 17, 2021, under the old union-backed board, a public meeting abruptly ended after just 30 minutes of comment, even though 45 minutes had been allotted. The board members, backed by the union, simply walked out with a police escort...
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Colorado’s car theft crisis: How policy mistakes fueled years of record losses
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s car theft crisis: How policy mistakes fueled years of record losses

By Mike O’Donnell | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website highlights that there were 95,564 fewer reported motor vehicle thefts across the United States in calendar year 2024 than there were in 2008, a decrease of around 10%. But not in Colorado where, due to policy choices by politicians and the court system, the number of motor vehicle thefts increased by 131%. The Colorado Crime Statistics website shows that the number of reported motor vehicle thefts in the state increased from 11,004 in 2008 to 25,424 in 2024. And 2024 was a much better year for Coloradans than in 2020 when 28,246 vehicles were stolen. It was also better than in 2021 when there were 37,249 thefts; 2022 saw a record 41,390 vehicles stolen (113 per day), and 2023 when t...
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Johnstown Breeze publisher under fire for “Mexican whipping” email to Weld County GOP
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Johnstown Breeze publisher under fire for “Mexican whipping” email to Weld County GOP

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff | Rocky Mountain Voice The publisher of the Johnstown Breeze signs her emails with a Dalai Lama quote: “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” But her recent message to the Weld County Republican Party was anything but kind.  At issue is Bangert’s response to an email that was sent with details to party members and media about the Weld County Hoedown on Oct. 6. Bangert simply replied:  “What time is the flag burning and the Mexican whipping?” Weld County GOP Chairman Hunter Rivera called Bangert’s reply “deplorable and unacceptable” after it surfaced in a Facebook exchange with her husband, Breeze co-owner Matt Lubich. The email in question had been sent to more than 3,000 recipients—a routine community announcemen...
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