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Two former board presidents urge a course correction for Cherry Creek schools
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Two former board presidents urge a course correction for Cherry Creek schools

By Jennifer Churchfield and Aagje Barber | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As former presidents of the Cherry Creek School Board, we have always believed that the success of our schools begins with a laser focus on students, academic excellence, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Today, we write with deep concern — and urgency — about the direction of the district and the need for a course correction. That’s why we are endorsing Amanda Thayer and Tatyana Sturm for the Cherry Creek School Board. The Board of Education has taken its eye off the classroom. As a result, fewer than half of Cherry Creek students are proficient at grade level in core subjects — a staggering statistic for a district once considered a statewide leader in academic performance. This is unac...
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The sword is passed: Honoring Charlie Kirk’s bold stand for truth
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The sword is passed: Honoring Charlie Kirk’s bold stand for truth

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Lord.”  ~  Matthew 25:23 ~ As we conclude this series on The Sword of the Spirit, my heart feels both heavy and hopeful. Heavy, because we mourn the loss of a strong, confident voice for truth and a dear friend of Rocky Mountain Voice—Charlie Kirk. Hopeful, because his legacy shows us the trail we are called to follow, with no exceptions, and in my opinion, there is no better way to close this powerful series. I was fortunate to be with Heidi Ganahl, founder of RMV, along with her daughter, Hollie, a Valor High School student, Vice President of the new Turning Point USA chapter, and former Denver Bronco Derek Wolfe, back in April of this year, wh...
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School unions gave $11K to Jeffco candidate who admitted to a sealed juvenile sexual offense
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School unions gave $11K to Jeffco candidate who admitted to a sealed juvenile sexual offense

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice When the Jefferson County Education Association endorsed Michael Yocum for school board this fall, few voters—perhaps not even the union itself—knew the full story. According to verified audio recordings obtained by Rocky Mountain Voice (RMV), Yocum privately acknowledged a deferred adjudication involving a sealed juvenile sexual offense.  Yocum received thousands in funding and endorsements from education-aligned groups.  Now, with ballots dropping in one of the state’s largest school districts, the public is left to decide whether this is the kind of leadership that belongs at the helm of a district serving more than 75,000 students across 145 schools in Jefferson and Broomfield counties. Two conversations, two answers RMV obt...
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Carrying the mission forward: October 11 Legacy Rally to honor Charlie Kirk in Grand Junction
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Carrying the mission forward: October 11 Legacy Rally to honor Charlie Kirk in Grand Junction

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice One month after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, his message of faith and freedom is rallying new ground. On Saturday night, Turning Point USA will gather national speakers, local pastors and community leaders at the Mesa County Fairgrounds—marking both remembrance and renewed resolve. Turning Point USA will bring national speakers and community leaders to Grand Junction on Saturday night for the Legacy Rally—set for 6 p.m. at the Mesa County Fairground grandstands. Set one month after Charlie Kirk’s death, the event is focused on helping Coloradans—especially youth—continue the mission he built his life around. Organizers say donations will support the local TPUSA chapter at Colorado Mesa University. Security for the event will...
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More Than Colorado: How Friendship and Faith Are Expanding the Rocky Mountain Voice
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More Than Colorado: How Friendship and Faith Are Expanding the Rocky Mountain Voice

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice Let me tell you about a longtime friend of mine—and now a dear friend of Rocky Mountain Voice—Joe Cherry, CEO and Founder of Exectras in Houston, Texas. As I write this, I’m sitting in his remarkable home in Houston, Texas. My wife, Sherrie, continues her fight against Glioblastoma Stage 4 Brain Cancer, and we’re working with the team at MD Anderson to handle this relentless disease. During this difficult time, Joe insisted that Sherrie and I stay with him in his home—a gesture filled with love, hope, and faith, in other words, life-changing. Some partnerships are written on paper; others are written on the heart. This one began long before Rocky Mountain Voice ever published its first story or Exectras (short ...
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How Did Compact Negotiators Split the Colorado River’s Flow in 1922?
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How Did Compact Negotiators Split the Colorado River’s Flow in 1922?

By Steve Harris | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice For my third installment in our discussion of the 100-year anniversary of the Colorado River Compact in 1922, I’ll describe how the states negotiated their respective share of the annual flow of the Colorado River. Though I was not in attendance in 1922, the minutes of the negotiations are very thorough. A few definitions before we start: “WY” is short for the federal water year from October 1st to September 30th. Colorado water years are November to October. AF is acre-feet or 325,851 gallons or 43,560 cubic feet. MAF is million acre-feet. Actual Colorado River flows in 1922: At the first Colorado River Compact Commission (CRCC) meeting on January 30, 1922, data on the flow of the Colorado River at various l...
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Fix It or Fund It: Inside the $361 million standoff over Colorado’s unfunded mandates
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Fix It or Fund It: Inside the $361 million standoff over Colorado’s unfunded mandates

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado counties say they’re done footing the bill for laws they didn’t fund. Citing a 1991 statute and more than $361 million in unfunded mandates, the Fix It or Fund It coalition is asserting that if the state won’t pay, local governments won’t comply. Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel didn’t set out to launch a statewide revolt. Two years ago, she created a spreadsheet to track state mandates that came without funding. The goal was to help department heads navigate budgeting headaches. But that quiet act of accounting has since grown into something far louder—a bipartisan movement spanning more than 36 counties, with local governments now invoking state law to declare state mandates “optional.” “We started this whole unfunded mandate...
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Is Rep. Marshall’s narrow 2024 win now at risk in Douglas County?
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Is Rep. Marshall’s narrow 2024 win now at risk in Douglas County?

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Rep. Bob Marshall (D-HD43) represents one of Colorado’s most politically mixed suburban districts, covering parts of Highlands Ranch and Littleton. The area is built around families, good schools, and a long-standing belief in local control and fiscal restraint. Marshall often calls himself a centrist Democrat and a retired Marine who puts people before politics. But his voting record at the Capitol tells a different story.  Marshall once appealed to a wide mix of voters. Whether that still holds is an open question, especially given how much the mood in Douglas County has changed. Prices have climbed. Crime feels closer. And faith in state leaders is wearing thin. Out of Douglas County’s 323,000 regist...
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