Rocky Mountain Voice

Rocky Mountain Voice

An extinction level event looms for the Republican Party
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

An extinction level event looms for the Republican Party

By Brian C. Joondeph | Commentary, American Thinker An extinction event is a rapid, sweeping collapse -- something so disruptive that what emerges afterward is unrecognizable from what came before. Volcano eruptions or meteor strikes can trigger such events in the natural world.  Washington, D.C. may be approaching a political version of the same phenomenon, and Republicans seem disturbingly unprepared for what is coming. The GOP currently holds narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress -- seven seats in the House and six in the Senate. Those margins are razor-thin by any measure, and fragile given that five senators, three Republicans and two Democrats, are over eighty years old. But demographics are only part of the problem. History is a...
The Modern Cult Operating in Plain Sight in Our Schools
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

The Modern Cult Operating in Plain Sight in Our Schools

By Laureen Boll | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In the 1970s, the U.S. was gripped by a wave of predatory cults that preyed on the vulnerable, even children. Groups such as the Hare Krishnas and  Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church convinced their disciples that parents were outdated obstacles to living one’s best life, and often convinced these youngsters to leave their homes.  Once parents were out of the picture, the cult leader became the child’s new point of authority.  Thousands of families were shattered, with children vanishing into underground networks, never to be heard from again. As someone who came of age during that era, I remember the urgent warnings from parents like my own: stay vigilant, spot the signs of manipulation, and neve...
Growing Up in Prayer — Why It Matters for the Armor of God
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Devotional, Top Stories

Growing Up in Prayer — Why It Matters for the Armor of God

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests   ~ Ephesians 6:18 ~ This week, our family celebrated a special milestone: my 9-month-old grandson, Thommy-boy, said his very first word—“Baby.” Moments like that remind us how wonderful life can be even during tough times. Later, I thought: What if, ten years from now, that was still the only word he could say? We’d all see that something was seriously wrong. Growth means expanding language, forming deeper connections, and improving our ability to communicate. Remember, prayer is the strength of a united relationship, whether it’s marriage, friendship, work, community, or even an Army—an Army of God ready to fight.  At this ...
Yes, we are having a Republican State Assembly
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Yes, we are having a Republican State Assembly

By Brita Horn | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Over the past several days, a new and unfounded rumor has begun circulating, suggesting that the Republican Party of Colorado does not intend to hold a State Assembly in 2026. This claim is false. It contradicts our legal obligations, it misrepresents our planning, and it has no basis in any action ever taken by this organization. As Chair of the Republican Party of Colorado, I want our members to hear directly from me: we are holding a State Assembly. We always have been. It is also important to recognize that within our party, there are strong and varied opinions about Colorado’s caucus and assembly system.  Some view it as a vital grassroots mechanism that ensures candidates earn support directly from engag...
Home at stake as veteran challenges LPEA easement expansion
Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Home at stake as veteran challenges LPEA easement expansion

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Jack Barrett didn’t expect his retirement to look like this. The 80-year-old Navy veteran thought he, and his wife, would spend their later years quietly on the 9.6 acre property they bought outside Pagosa Springs—nearly two decades ago. Instead, Barrett is now fighting La Plata Electric Association over a transmission line upgrade that he says would force a widened utility easement closer to his home—and deeper into his property. “I served my country with honor,” Barrett said. “And I should not have this fight at this time in my life.” LPEA has filed a petition in condemnation to secure easement rights. It would be for project upgrading an existing transmission line from 69kV to 115kV. What began as a technica...
Opt out explained: Why Colorado Republicans could lose their primary ballots
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Opt out explained: Why Colorado Republicans could lose their primary ballots

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice One of the most contentious issues holding back the Colorado Republican Party is the infighting around the “Opt Out.” In September, the Republican State Central Committee (SCC) held a heated meeting to vote on whether to opt out of holding a primary election. While 75% of members present voted to “opt out,” state law requires a vote from three-fourths of the total membership of the SCC to officially make that decision. Unfortunately, the meeting sparked more confusion and anger across the party. For several years now, the “Opt Out” has become a litmus test for loyalty, labeling anyone who disagrees a RINO (Republican In Name Only). But I don’t believe that most Republicans understand what “opting out” actually means—and it’s ...
What Colorado redacted from a federal prison letter—and why it matters
Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

What Colorado redacted from a federal prison letter—and why it matters

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice The state confirmed it received a request from the Bureau of Prisons regarding the transfer of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters to federal custody. What the public has not been allowed to see is why the federal government made it in the first place. Colorado released a copy of the Bureau of Prisons letter earlier this month, but only after heavily redacting its substance. State officials said releasing the withheld information would be “contrary to the public interest.” The redactions removed nearly every explanation the federal government provided for why it sought custody at all. An unredacted version of the same letter, reviewed by Rocky Mountain Voice, tells a more complete and more consequential story. ...
Trump announces full pardon of Tina Peters in Truth Social post
Rocky Mountain Voice, National, Top Stories

Trump announces full pardon of Tina Peters in Truth Social post

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice President Trump posted on Wednesday that he is granting a full pardon to former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who has served 14 months of a nine year prison sentence.  He announced it in a Truth Social post late in the afternoon.  Trump criticized Democrats in the post, saying violent crime has gone unaddressed while election-related cases moved forward after 2020. “For years, Democrats ignored violent and vicious crime of all shapes, sizes, colors, and types,” Trump wrote. He added that violent criminals “who should have been locked up were allowed to attack again.” Trump said Democrats instead chose to go after people who pushed for election security, writing that they “chose instead to prosecute anyone ...
Colorado’s systems have failed Tina Peters again and again
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s systems have failed Tina Peters again and again

By RMV Editorial Board On December 8, 2025, three events collided in Colorado that no honest observer can dismiss as coincidence. A federal judge dismissed Tina Peters’ habeas corpus petition, admitting she raised “important constitutional questions” about whether a state court punished her for her speech, then refused to consider those questions because of the Younger doctrine. Hours later, Colorado’s Department of Corrections moved Peters into Isolation Detention Observation: twenty-two hours a day in a concrete cell, lights on around the clock, no yard time and a single explanation—“this is for your safety.”  That same afternoon, the United States Department of Justice opened a civil-rights investigation into Colorado’s prisons and youth facilities, citing po...
Good News or Fake News: Peace — Real News with Integrity
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Good News or Fake News: Peace — Real News with Integrity

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice If hope teaches us to look forward, then peace teaches us how to stand firm right now. But here’s the tension every Coloradan feels—especially during the holidays: We live in a culture that profits from our anxiety. Fear sells. Outrage spreads. And when everything is loud, peace is mistaken for passivity… when in reality, peace is a kind of strength, a power that shapes who you are. Therefore, the question for you is, “What source is shaping who you are—the Good News or the fake news?” Because trusting the Good News builds confidence in the peace you carry. Or in other words, PEACE is Real News with Integrity. It’s not fragile. Peace is not the absence of conflict. Simply, peace is the inner integrity of a life aligned...