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O’Donnell: Behind the headlines, Colorado’s job growth tells a different story
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O’Donnell: Behind the headlines, Colorado’s job growth tells a different story

By Mike O’Donnell | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released April 2025 job creation numbers by state. The national numbers were released earlier in the month and for the nation as a whole 177,000 new jobs were created in April, and this was considered a “solid” number by those who consider themselves experts. Colorado’s share of that total was 8,400 and those same experts consider that an “exceptionally solid” month for Colorado. Somewhere, champagne corks were likely popped. Nonetheless, behind every number is a story and that story for Colorado is quite revealing.  Yes, Colorado added 8,400 new jobs in April – but 5,500 (65%) were in bars and restaurants, and 4,500 (54%) in health care and social assistance. ...
Hardin: Run for the Wall shows why patriotism still rides strong
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Hardin: Run for the Wall shows why patriotism still rides strong

By Amanda Hardin | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Every May, the sound of motorcycles echoes across America—not for show, but for something much more meaningful. Run For The Wall is a cross-country ride that honors the fallen and brings healing to those still carrying the weight of war. It begins in California and ends in Washington, D.C.  This year I had the privilege of joining the ride for part of its journey, riding the Central Route from Gallup, New Mexico, to Colorado. We rolled out of Gallup with nearly 500 motorcycles, riding two-by-two in a tight, powerful formation. New Mexico State Police escorted us across the entire state, blocking every exit, every intersection.  There was no stop-and-go. No honking horns. Just a smooth, protected path across miles of ...
Devotional: March in righteousness, not just good intentions
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Devotional: March in righteousness, not just good intentions

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church Every day, you're marching into a battle—whether you realize it or not. The question is: are you armored up, or are you walking into a war zone wearing flip-flops and good intentions? Religion alone won’t save you. It will load you down with rules while leaving your heart exposed. Wisdom, however—the real, raw kind that comes from fearing the Lord—will armor you up as you walk on the right path. It will train you to live well, fight smart, and win eternally (Proverbs 4:7). Listen carefully: you can’t walk two roads at once. You either follow Jesus on the narrow path of righteousness or stumble down the highway of wickedness. One leads to despair, shame, and foolishness. The other? Fulfillment, flourishing, and victory as a fu...
Bauer: What IS this new Community “Matanza” Celebration?
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Bauer: What IS this new Community “Matanza” Celebration?

By Shirley Bauer | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice With all the events in Hotchkiss, Colorado, on Saturday, May 10, chances are you may have heard of a new event—the second annual “Family, Faith, Freedom Fest Matanza Cook Off!” Hosted at the Fairgrounds by the Delta County Republican Party, this gathering was designed to bring people together to celebrate community, family, faith and freedom as well as Hispanic heritage and of course great food! Thanks to donors, prize money for the cook-off and pork for the contestants were provided. The idea for the event was from Arrhya Long, Vice Chair of the Delta GOP, whose heritage is part Hispanic. In collaboration with Leslie Parker, Chairwoman of the DCRCC; David Moran, PCP for Delta County GOP and HD54 Chairman; and Pastor Jo...
Gotlieb: You know you’re from Colorado when… 
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Gotlieb: You know you’re from Colorado when… 

By Dorothy Gotlieb | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Former legislator and longtime Denver public servant Dorothy Gotlieb has compiled this list of Colorado quirks and cultural touchstones. You might laugh, nod in agreement – or want to add your own. Over the years, there have been several versions of a “You Know You’re from Colorado When…” list. The following is just one of the latest.  Everyday observations You ask someone you meet, “Where are you from?” You recognize FIVE seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter – and Construction! Your side of the street looks like a winter wonderland, but there’s no snow on the other side of the street. You are pretty sure that you have seen a bank, a carwash, and/or a dispensary on every block. You know that “Mile Hi...
“Time to end retirement”: Fabbricatore joins fight to rescue migrant children as ORR Senior Advisor
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“Time to end retirement”: Fabbricatore joins fight to rescue migrant children as ORR Senior Advisor

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice On May 19, 2025, retired ICE official John Fabbricatore stepped into a new role as Senior Advisor at the Office of Refugee Resettlement, just as the agency faces intense scrutiny for failing to track unaccompanied migrant children after release. Fabbricatore’s #FindTheKids hashtag signals a push to close those gaps, but the road ahead is steep. Fabbricatore announced his appointment on X, stating, “Time to end retirement. I was sworn in at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 19, 2025, as a Senior Advisor for the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) at the Immediate Office of the Secretary in the Senior Executive Service.”  https://twitter.com/johne_fabb/status/1924576960371421184 ORR ...
“Aptitude test for your rights?” Mesa County pushes back on SB3 in letter to the DOJ
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“Aptitude test for your rights?” Mesa County pushes back on SB3 in letter to the DOJ

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Would you need a perfect GPA to speak your mind or worship freely? Mesa County officials say Colorado’s new gun law is treating the Second Amendment that way – and they’ve asked the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene. In a three-page letter sent this month, the Mesa County Board of Commissioners urged federal authorities to investigate Senate Bill 25-003, calling it a “grotesque misuse of government power” that effectively imposes a discriminatory test on anyone wishing to lawfully own or carry a firearm. The law, which takes effect in August 2026, requires residents to complete state-approved firearms training, score 90% on a written exam and obtain conditional approval from their sheriff’s office every five years in order to receive or...
Hunter: Will you be the miracle Pastor John Waters needs?
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Hunter: Will you be the miracle Pastor John Waters needs?

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Across Colorado, churches gather each week to worship, pray, and walk in faith. From the Western Slope to the Eastern Plains, these communities share a simple but powerful calling—to love one another well. Today, that love has a chance to meet a real and urgent need. And today, that love has an urgent opportunity to shine. One of our own—John Waters, Worship Pastor at Elevating Life Church in Fort Morgan and a cherished beloved DJ on KFTM/Bob FM—is in critical need of a living liver transplant. John isn’t just a leader—he’s been a steady voice of hope. Whether preaching on Sundays or spinning tracks on the radio, he’s lifted hearts across Colorado and Nebraska. After a long and silent battle with liver disease, John’s health ha...
Analyst to reveal altered Arapahoe 2020 CVR at Tuesday Capitol press conference
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Analyst to reveal altered Arapahoe 2020 CVR at Tuesday Capitol press conference

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice A nationally recognized computer scientist will present what he says is direct evidence of vote data manipulation in Arapahoe County's 2020 election – and altered ballot records in a newly released 2025 file – at a May 27 press conference at the Colorado State Capitol. Dr. Walter Daugherity, a Harvard-trained expert in computer science and election auditing, is set to speak at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday on the west steps of the Capitol. According to a press release circulated Wednesday, Daugherity will walk the public through four exhibits that show what he describes as "a manipulated cast vote record" and evidence that votes were changed at the ballot level. The core claim: Two cast vote records, one election Cast vote records (CVRs) are...
“They didn’t think I had it”: Tina Peters on evidence, betrayal and faith behind bars
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“They didn’t think I had it”: Tina Peters on evidence, betrayal and faith behind bars

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice In a jailhouse visit marked by resilience, revelation and restrained emotion, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters offered a window into the chapter of her life that has largely unfolded behind bars.  For two-and-a-half hours on May 18, we sat across from each other in a controlled visitation room. No pens or paper were allowed, so what follows is drawn from a memory still sharp with immediacy, and a recorded voice memo I made in my truck just moments after we said goodbye. Peters wore standard prison-issued clothing and a DOC patch with her name and inmate number sewn on. I bought her a cappuccino from the vending machine and a Butterfinger, which I had to unwrap and place on a paper plate before handing it to her across the table. She ...

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