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Kassaw, a political refugee when he arrived 17 years ago, is seeking election to Aurora City Council
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Kassaw, a political refugee when he arrived 17 years ago, is seeking election to Aurora City Council

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice Seventeen years ago, Ethiopian-born Amsalu Kassaw was a political refugee when he settled in Aurora. “Aurora is more than a city to me; it’s a symbol of opportunity, diversity, and unity,” Kassaw said. Seventeen years later, Kassaw is asking Aurora to support him once again. Kassaw has announced his candidacy for an at-large seat on City Council. “From my early days of building a new life in America to becoming a proud citizen, this community has shaped who I am today," he said. "Over the years, I have dedicated myself to promoting civic engagement, supporting small businesses and fostering collaboration among diverse communities.” Kassaw was selected last year to fill the unexpired term of Dustin Zvonek. Kassaw is the first Ethiopian i...
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Soper: A year late and a billion dollars short
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Soper: A year late and a billion dollars short

By Rep. Matt Soper | Western Slope Statesman Beyond the usual political theatrics making headlines, Colorado's budget crisis has dominated discussions since last fall. Unlike the federal government, the state cannot increase borrowing or mint additional currency. This leaves budget cuts and reduced spending as the only viable options to prevent Colorado from running an overdrawn budget of almost one billion dollars in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The budgetary climate under the Golden Dome has taken on a slightly more conservative tone this session—something I welcome as a lifelong Republican. It seems the majority parties in both chambers, along with the Governor, are donning their fiscal conservative caps to help balance the checkbook. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE WESTERN SLOPE STAT...
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Devotional: The six panels of the Helmet of Salvation
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Devotional: The six panels of the Helmet of Salvation

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice What truly defines our humanity? Is it our intelligence, our emotions or perhaps our knack for brewing the perfect cup of coffee? While many creatures display intelligence, experience deep feelings and even utilize tools — just think of a beaver constructing a dam or a squirrel cracking a nut — there's something unique that sets us apart. It's our ability to seek meaning, make moral choices, and pursue right, equable relationships and justice (purpose). Unlike animals that rely on instinct, we possess the gift of self-reflection, wisdom and the power to shape our reality through our decisions, provided we choose to channel that power for good. Yet, despite having this gift, we often make a mess of things. Poor decisions, unclea...
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‘Everyone feels anxiety’ over CPW depredation payments, but commissioners note it’s the law
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‘Everyone feels anxiety’ over CPW depredation payments, but commissioners note it’s the law

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice “Everyone feels anxiety and fear about all this," Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis told commissioners as they approved a large payment to two Colorado ranchers in Grand County that lost livestock as a direct result of the wolf reintroduction program. The agenda item was on the commission's consent agenda — generally reserved for items so routine as to not require discussion. A motion was made to approve the depredation claims in the amount of $343,000 and some change. "I feel like we’re working with ranchers and livestock operations," Davis said. "It may not feel or look like it to them sometimes, but we are.” Davis continued, “These are large claims. We are the only western state that pays for itemize...
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O’Reilly: Special districts bank on your ignorance, residents need to push for transparency 
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O’Reilly: Special districts bank on your ignorance, residents need to push for transparency 

By Chuck O’Reilly | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Meet Colorado’s special districts. Your wallet knows them better than you. Your tax dollars feed special districts most can’t even name. They siphon cash quietly until they are exposed.  Wherever you live in Colorado, you will be in some type of special district for water, fire protection, sanitation, open spaces, metro districts and schools.  Many Colorado voters are uninformed or unaware of how the various special districts, in which they reside, function. They don’t grasp their rights related to those districts or how the property taxes they pay get regulated, assessed or used by those districts.   New property owners are not informed about assessments or the board member election process for their districts. For mos...
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In $210M plan to ditch Tri-State, LPEA members feel the financial pinch
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In $210M plan to ditch Tri-State, LPEA members feel the financial pinch

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Rancher J. Paul Brown tends sheep and cattle on his La Plata County spread, facing a $4,000 monthly electric bill. Lisa huddles in a home with her children, skipping heat to ease her electric bill’s bite.  This spring, folks like them could owe $90 more a year — or $308 more monthly for Brown — if a rate hike passes.  Meanwhile, La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) CEO Chris Hansen, who took the helm in November 2024, earns an estimated $545,000 annually, within the role’s $400,000–$600,000 range reported by the Durango Herald. On Feb. 19, county residents packed the LPEA Board of Directors meeting over climbing rates, tied to a $210 million plan to ditch Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, their longtim...
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Here’s the facts Rep. Gabe Evans used in hearing that Mayor Mike Johnston disputes
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Here’s the facts Rep. Gabe Evans used in hearing that Mayor Mike Johnston disputes

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice When confronted Wednesday with crime data by U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, detailing Denver's trends, Mayor Mike Johnston said the former Arvada police lieutenant was confused. "I think you may have some bad facts, and I'm happy to clarify them for you," said Johnston, one of four large-city mayors questioned by the U.S. House's Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In other words, despite his career in policing, Johnston either believes Evans is lying or can't understand crime data. Evans retorted, "I'm happy to show all of the sources for my facts." https://twitter.com/repgabeevans/status/1897406777114681422 And his office did in an email to the media. Following is a glance at those claims by Evans: A report by...
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Garbo: In public education’s betrayal of America, Department of Education abolishment is long overdue
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Garbo: In public education’s betrayal of America, Department of Education abolishment is long overdue

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Public education was the single most destructive force of my life. It was not just a failed system; it was a weapon - an insidious mechanism that fostered and cultivated powerful lies about my self-image and self-worth that took decades to unlearn. The environment was not one of discovery, inspiration, or growth, but a bleak landscape of conformity and mediocrity, where creativity was stifled, curiosity was punished, and true excellence was treated as a threat rather than a goal. The opportunity cost of this system is beyond measure. How can one quantify the years lost to self-doubt, the potential unfulfilled, the talents unexplored, and the opportunities that vanished because the very institution tasked with equipping me ...
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Rep. Jeff Crank ‘totally opposed’ to ‘just unconstitutional’ SB 3, he says in town hall
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Rep. Jeff Crank ‘totally opposed’ to ‘just unconstitutional’ SB 3, he says in town hall

By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice As he debates the policy of the day in Washington, D.C., U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo. Springs, has an eye on Colorado's General Assembly. He's concerned with the passage of Colorado Senate Bill 25-003 out of the Senate and to the House. The bill would prohibit the transfer, sale or purchase of a semiauto firearm not on a government-approved list and not without the taking and passage of government-prescribed classes some gun owners call a "permission slip". It has been called the most extreme gun bill in the country's history. Rep. Ryan Armagost, the co-founder of the House's Second Amendment Caucus, and Rocky Mountain Gun Owners have said the bill could be heard in the House's Judiciary Committee March 11 or 12, although it has not been add...
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The fantasy Mayor Mike Johnston paints for Congress on crime is not the everyday reality, residents say
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The fantasy Mayor Mike Johnston paints for Congress on crime is not the everyday reality, residents say

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Jeff Workman never imagined that stepping onto his porch would leave him battered, unable to work and afraid to open his door after dark. His brutal attack wasn’t an isolated incident. “At 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 20, my girlfriend and I were brutally assaulted while sitting on my front porch,” Workman said. “Without saying anything, the man immediately ripped me off my porch and I fell down its four steps, landing hard on the sidewalk. I was severely injured, dazed and helpless.” The attack left Workman with a separated shoulder, multiple torn ligaments and a serious spinal injury that required emergency surgery. He is now unable to walk without a walker, unable to work and unable to care for his 98-year-old grandmother. “T...
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