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False claims, real consequences: Judge rejects activist’s First Amendment defense
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False claims, real consequences: Judge rejects activist’s First Amendment defense

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice El Paso County judge rejects motion to dismiss defamation suit against Bernadette Guthrie, ruling that calling a school board member a “child predator” is not protected by the First Amendment. For more than a year, Derrick Wilburn – father, community leader and now an elected school board member – was publicly branded a “child predator” by a vocal district parent. The accusations, repeated at school board meetings, online and even in state legislative testimony, painted him as a man who preyed on children.  Wilburn filed a defamation lawsuit in December 2024, seeking accountability. And on April 29, a Colorado judge drew a legal line.  El Paso County District Court Judge Gregory Werner denied defendant Bernadette Guthrie’s motion...
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Hunter: More than a price tag—what that doggie in the window really cost
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Hunter: More than a price tag—what that doggie in the window really cost

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice How much is that doggie in the window? Remember this cheerful tune? It’s a jingle from another era, when the dream of a family pet felt as simple as a walk past a shop window. But today, that question echoes with heavier meaning. In the aftermath of COVID-19, animal shelters across the country are overwhelmed—not with hopeful adopters, but with returned, surrendered, and abandoned dogs. What was once a feel-good moment, the impulse to bring home a furry companion during lockdown, has for many turned into complete heartbreak. Behind the catchy melody lies a more sobering truth: the real cost of pet ownership goes far beyond the price tag. The surge in pet adoptions during the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedent...
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Devotional: The breastplate of righteousness isn’t a costume—it’s combat gear
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Devotional: The breastplate of righteousness isn’t a costume—it’s combat gear

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church Reflecting on the lives of remarkable figures—Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, etc.—we discover a golden thread that weaves through each of their stories: character. If asked how to live a good, just, and meaningful life, each would likely point not to power, fame, wealth, or status but to the inner life—the heart. Real character, a character that can meet the demands of a harsh reality, they’d say, isn’t a PR stunt; it’s forged in private, rooted in virtue, and revealed in action. It’s one thing to know what’s right…it’s another to live it. That’s the difference between fantasy and fact. In this mini-series, we’ve suited up with the Breastplate of Righteousness, anchoring ourselves not in...
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A crisis of cradle and classroom: How Colorado’s baby bust is closing schools
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A crisis of cradle and classroom: How Colorado’s baby bust is closing schools

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado’s classrooms are getting quieter – not because kids are learning, but because there are fewer of them. Across the state, dropping birth rates and shrinking enrollment are forcing schools to close, merge – or sit half-empty. And the trend isn’t slowing down. In May, the Common Sense Institute released a report warning that Colorado’s birth rate has been declining since 2005 and has fallen faster than the national average since 2011. The report projects the state will lose more than 15,000 children under age 18 by 2030 – roughly the equivalent of the entire Thompson R2-J school district. Denver Public Schools is already deep into closures. According to CSI’s analysis, DPS has approved the closure of seven schools and partial restructur...
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Hunter: Dear Common Sense on using your voice without becoming part of the chaos
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Hunter: Dear Common Sense on using your voice without becoming part of the chaos

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice “Dear Common Sense” is a no-nonsense advice column for those who still believe truth matters, leadership is earned, and common sense isn’t so common anymore. Each issue tackles real questions from real people, offering grounded wisdom for speaking up, leading well, and living with integrity in a noisy world. No shouting. No spin. Just clarity with character.  Let’s lean into our first entry. Shall we? Dear Common Sense, I care about this country, probably more than I let on. And I’m not one to sit on my hands when something needs to be said. But these days, it feels like speaking up just adds to the noise. I don’t want to keep my mouth shut, but I don’t want to add to the shouting match either. ...
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“Not one mention of sexual abuse”: Parents slam Jeffco union as Title IX storm builds
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“Not one mention of sexual abuse”: Parents slam Jeffco union as Title IX storm builds

By Heidi Ganahl, Rocky Mountain Voice Jeffco Public Schools is at the center of a storm as teachers and parents clash with Superintendent Tracy Dorland over leadership, transparency, and the district’s handling of cultural and safety concerns.  Tensions hit a breaking point on May 29, when the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA)—representing roughly a quarter of Jeffco’s 5,000 teachers—declared a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Tracy Dorland. The move came just days before news broke of a federal Title IX investigation into the district. Union leaders accused her of top-down leadership, fostering instability, and eroding trust. They highlighted high turnover in central office staff, the rejection of a board-approved policy on ICE protocols, and the rollback ...
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Pro-2A advocates plan strategy events in response to Colorado gun laws
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Pro-2A advocates plan strategy events in response to Colorado gun laws

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Next week, on June 10 and 11, Colorado gun owners and Second Amendment advocates will gather for two Legislative Round Up events in Lakewood and Fort Morgan, organized by the NRA-ILA (National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action) and Rocky Mountain Voice. The event is organized with coordination by Amanda Hardin of Lipstick Tactical, a Denver-based firearms training organization.  The events work to build advocacy efforts in light of multiple anti-gun laws the 2025 Colorado General Assembly passed and Governor Jared Polis signed into law. The gatherings will provide a platform to discuss these laws and strategize legal and grassroots responses. “We’re running the exact same event in two geographically d...
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Garbo: A Christian conservative’s honest, loving perspective on LGBTQIA+ and sin
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Garbo: A Christian conservative’s honest, loving perspective on LGBTQIA+ and sin

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice I’m a Christian. I’m a Conservative. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, not a suggestion, not a cultural relic, but the truth. And, though it is admittedly very difficult to do at times, I also believe deeply in loving my neighbor - all of them - unconditionally. That includes the LGBTQIA+ community. Let’s be honest: Pride Month brings up tension, especially for those of us who don't support the ideology or the prurient displays often celebrated in public forums. But disagreement is not hate. Conviction is not fear. And rejecting a behavior doesn’t mean rejecting a person. If I’m going to be consistent with my faith, then I have to love people - really love them - even when I believe they're sinning. I’m called to lo...
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COvid Chronicles May 24–31, 2020: When ‘peaceful protests’ overruled pandemic policy—and unleashed chaos
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COvid Chronicles May 24–31, 2020: When ‘peaceful protests’ overruled pandemic policy—and unleashed chaos

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board The sixth installment of RMV’s COvid Chronicles covers the week Colorado dropped the mask—just not in the way you’d hope. Restrictions vanished for rioters, but stayed in place for students and small businesses. It wasn’t science guiding policy. It was politics. No, it’s not short. Neither was the fallout. The sixth installment of RMV’s COvid Chronicles covers the week Colorado dropped the mask—just not in the way you’d hope. Restrictions vanished for rioters, but stayed in place for students and small businesses. It wasn’t science guiding policy. It was politics. No, it’s not short. Neither was the fallout. Looking back five years later, it’s hard not to feel for everyday, taxpaying Coloradans. As May 2020 ended, COVID cases dropped, testin...
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“Write your own rules?” Douglas County voters to decide if it’s time for Home Rule
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“Write your own rules?” Douglas County voters to decide if it’s time for Home Rule

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Supporters call it a chance to protect local values and reclaim decision-making power. Opponents warn the benefits are overstated – and the risks misunderstood. On June 24, Douglas County voters will weigh in on whether to create a Home Rule Charter Commission – and decide who should serve on it. The commission would be made up of 21 members, including six from each commissioner district and three at-large. If the measure passes, the elected commission will draft a charter that could reshape county governance. Ballots were mailed starting June 2. Drop boxes and in-person voting will remain open through 7 p.m. on Election Day. Before voters decide, it’s worth understanding what’s at stake: Home Rule would give Douglas County the chance t...
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