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Top Stories of 2024: Elections, password leaks, Tren de Aragua, Trump visit and more
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Top Stories of 2024: Elections, password leaks, Tren de Aragua, Trump visit and more

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff There's one thing to say for 2024 in reflection — it wasn't boring on the political front. Along the way there were a dozen candidates for one highly coveted seat in the U.S. House, a once in three-decades special selection committee, a Secretary of State failing to keep passwords secure, the trial of Tina Peters, members of the GOP's central committee unable to agree on leadership, a visit to the state from Donald J. Trump, gang violence in Aurora, Republican gains and much more. Here's a glance at some of the Colorado newsmakers and newsbreakers you may recall from 2024: Judicial retention — Among the tasks left for voters on a long ballot was the daunting role they had to decide judicial retention of judges from the Colorado Supreme Court and Co...
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Boebert’s Fish Recovery Act saves endangered fish, secures water for future generations
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Boebert’s Fish Recovery Act saves endangered fish, secures water for future generations

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Last week, Rep. Lauren Boebert's Fish Recovery Act passed, protecting four endangered fish species and empowering water use and development. Part of the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the bipartisan legislation extends two vital conservation programs while enabling thousands of water and power users to continue operations uninterrupted. “These projects, including 1,200 in Colorado alone, encompass major water reservoirs, agricultural water users, ski areas and power generation facilities that collectively use more than 3.7 million acre-feet of water per year,” Boebert said. She underscored the role these programs play in balancing environmental protection with ongoing water and power operations. In ...
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Garbo: Sheriffs must always be elected to defend liberty and preserve the Constitution
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Garbo: Sheriffs must always be elected to defend liberty and preserve the Constitution

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Few offices in American governance embody the spirit of freedom and self-governance as profoundly as that of the county sheriff. Rooted in centuries of tradition and safeguarded by constitutional principles, the elected sheriff stands as one of the most powerful and accountable defenders of liberty in the United States. In Colorado, this role carries even greater significance, as the state’s history and values are deeply tied to independence, local control and resistance to government overreach. The idea of appointing sheriffs — rather than electing them — is not only an affront to these principles, it is a direct threat to the constitutional freedoms that this office was designed to protect. To fully appreciate why sheriffs ...
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Gonzalez: In the 75th legislative session, lawmakers should focus on affordability
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Gonzalez: In the 75th legislative session, lawmakers should focus on affordability

By Ryan Gonzalez | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As prices for Coloradans continue to increase, the state legislature must step in to provide relief for the ones they serve. In recent years, what the legislature has done is add more unnecessary costs to everyday expenses from energy to groceries to housing. An example are the “fees” added continuously. Fees, such as the “tire fee” the “delivery fee” the “telephone fee” and car registration fees. The list goes on and on. Repealing many of these fees will provide some relief to everyday Coloradans. Regulations have also added unnecessary hardships to our residents and taxpayers. Regulations — in such areas as environmental and labor — that only pass costs to consumers. In housing, new developments and renovations must compl...
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Elected Republicans, from Denver to Washington, offered greetings on Christmas
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Elected Republicans, from Denver to Washington, offered greetings on Christmas

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice From the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C., to the Golden Dome in Denver, Republicans serving Colorado paused Wednesday not just to take time with family, but to turn to Twitter/X to communicate with constituents on the occasion of Christmas and the beginning of Hanukkah. "Jesus' coming is good news for all people," U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert said in a video she posted. "Believers and unbelievers, saints and sinners, Republicans and Democrats. Jesus came to this world to save imperfect people like you and me." https://twitter.com/RepBoebert/status/1871927851710365923 Boebert is currently serving in the 3rd District on the Western Slope, but in January will begin serving the 4th District in Northern Colorado and on the Eastern Plains. ...
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After six-year struggle, Boebert’s CONVEY Act now just needs Biden’s signature to transfer land to Mesa Co.
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After six-year struggle, Boebert’s CONVEY Act now just needs Biden’s signature to transfer land to Mesa Co.

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Almost half of the land in the American West — 46.4% to be exact — is owned by the federal government. To put this into perspective, in most other parts of the nation that number sits only at 4.2%.  This often creates hurdles for local communities planning for growth. The six-year struggle to acquire a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcel in Mesa County demonstrates this. Even though the land was designated as surplus, federal red tape delayed its transfer.  On April 28, 2023, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert introduced the CONVEY Act to challenge this bureaucratic bottleneck. Passing the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support last week, it now awaits final approval from the President.  Once signed into law, it wi...
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Browning: With hiring of environmental justice liaisons, state taking another stab at DEI implementation at taxpayer expense
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Browning: With hiring of environmental justice liaisons, state taking another stab at DEI implementation at taxpayer expense

By Lindy Browning | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice During a time when state legislators are trying to figure out where to cut the budget because of the state operating at what previously was thought to be a $1 billion shortage, the Energy and Carbon Management Commission, previously known as the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission, has announced that they are hiring two new environmental justice liaisons. According to the announcement on the ECMC website: “We are hiring two EJ Community Liaisons. One position is dedicated to the West Slope and one position is dedicated to the Front Range. You’ll work remotely from home and receive a state-issued electric vehicle to make travel possible as you interact extensively with communities in your region. You’ll work independently but be part of...
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Garbo: Woman burned alive on NYC subway, the deadly consequences of open borders and sanctuary policies
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Garbo: Woman burned alive on NYC subway, the deadly consequences of open borders and sanctuary policies

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice A woman was burned alive in one of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable — set on fire as she slept in a New York City subway station, dying a slow and agonizing death as her attacker stood by and watched. This is not just a tragic story. It is a searing indictment of the failed policies that enabled this crime to occur in the first place. The suspect, now identified as an illegal immigrant from Guatemala — previously deported but re-entered illegally — should never have been here. Yet, because of weak immigration enforcement, sanctuary city protections and an unsecured border, he was free to roam our streets and commit this unspeakable act. While the media celebrates the use of surveillance technology in his app...
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Delta County schools grapple with state-mandated gender policies in community opposed to it
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Delta County schools grapple with state-mandated gender policies in community opposed to it

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice In January 2025, House Bill 24-1039 will take affect across Colorado, requiring public schools to honor students' chosen names and pronouns. Schools are engaged in discussions as they form policies that adhere to the law. The community outcry in Delta County, a rural community in Western Colorado, reflects the challenges many school districts face. Delta residents have a history of taking a stand for local control and community values in the face of what they see as state overreach and an inappropriate pro-LGBTQ+ agenda in schools. Last year, the Delta County School Board passed Resolution 2023-29 to ensure that any social studies curriculum addressing LGBTQ cultures would be age-appropriate and focused on achievements...
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Devotional: The reason for the season, Jesus and justice for all
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Devotional: The reason for the season, Jesus and justice for all

By DRAKE HUNTER | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Why do humans care so much about justice? It's a question worth pondering, especially during Christmas, when themes of peace, goodwill and fairness shine brightly. In the animal kingdom, justice isn’t exactly a top priority. Some creatures eat their mates — talk about a bad date! — others abandon weaker offspring, and many simply operate on the law of survival. Thankfully, my mom — raising triplets, no less — wasn’t an animal. She didn’t leave one of us behind to focus on the others, much like a Panda does. Why do humans recoil at such behavior and demand fairness and accountability? The Bible provides a fascinating answer that brings Jesus, the reason for the season, front and center. On Page 1 of the Bible, humans are set apart ...
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