Rocky Mountain Voice

Backlash ignored: Senate approves HB25-1312 without parental rights protections

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Proponents hail the bill as a civil rights milestone for transgender youth. But Republicans say it strips parental rights, embeds compelled speech into law and threatens custody in future court cases. After weeks of public backlash, failed compromise efforts, and a marathon Senate floor debate, Colorado lawmakers gave final approval Tuesday to HB25-1312 – a bill that critics say severs parents from decisions about their children’s identities in school.

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A turning point for Colorado: RMV announces first Mountain Majesty Gala featuring Eric Trump on June 21 

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The conservative grassroots in Colorado is waking up – and gathering for something bigger than politics as usual.

Tickets are now on sale for what organizers are calling a major turning point for Colorado conservatives. Rocky Mountain Voice will host its first Mountain Majesty Gala on June 21 at the Denver Marriott West in Golden. Doors open at 5:00 PM, and guests are encouraged to dress formal for an evening built to energize Colorado’s conservative movement – something many say is long overdue.

Grassroots leaders, elected officials and media voices will gather for a night of connection, clarity and shared purpose.

A turning point for Colorado: RMV announces first Mountain Majesty Gala featuring Eric Trump on June 21  Read More »

“Parents Last”: Senate Democrats Advance HB25-1312 Despite Mass Opposition, Custody Concerns

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Colorado’s controversial “Kelly Loving Act” is one step away from becoming law, after the state Senate advanced HB25-1312 in a party-line vote Monday night. The bill passed 23-12 following hours of floor debate—nearing an end to a legislative saga that’s drawn over 700 would-be testifiers, more than 17,000 emails from concerned constituents, and ongoing warnings from legal experts, parents, and educators.

The bill started as an expansion of the Colorado Anti-discrimination Act (CADA), aiming to add gender identity and expression as protected categories in schools, courts, and beyond. Even after key changes, Republicans say it still threatens parental rights and opens the door to new legal trouble for those who disagree with progressive gender policies.

“Parents Last”: Senate Democrats Advance HB25-1312 Despite Mass Opposition, Custody Concerns Read More »

Members left in the dark: LPEA board spends big while margins shrink and bills climb

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When La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) members open their May power bills, most will see the effects of a 7.72% rate increase that quietly took effect April 1. While LPEA’s board says the hike is needed to cover infrastructure and supply costs, many members are beginning to ask harder questions – not just about what they’re paying, but about how their cooperative is being run.

Members left in the dark: LPEA board spends big while margins shrink and bills climb Read More »

Michelle Chandler stopped a predator — and uncovered victims who may never know

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On May 11, 2024, at Nordstrom Rack in Lakewood, Colorado, Michelle Chandler caught a man filming her inside a women’s fitting room. She didn’t freeze or panic. Instead, she confronted him, pinned him to the ground and held him until help arrived – or so she thought. 

What happened next wasn’t the swift arrival of justice. It was abandonment: by store employees, by security and later, by a system more concerned with procedure than protection.

Michelle Chandler stopped a predator — and uncovered victims who may never know Read More »

Minary: Common principles of Conservatism and why they matter in Colorado

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The majority of Coloradans have become disengaged and disillusioned with Party politics and rhetoric, for good reasons. Both major parties, R and D, have lost their way. So, the largest bloc of voters in CO is now “Unaffiliated.”

In political discussions, we often use ‘labels’ to describe ourselves and others. These labels include terms like Republican, Democrat, Moderate, Right, Left, Liberal and Conservative. Unfortunately, if you ask 10 people to define exactly what their own political label means, only one can do it with any clarity. That leads very quickly to stereotyping, misunderstandings and disagreement. Rather than listening, we talk over, rather than with, each other.

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Cole: Illegal driving, rising costs, and scarce patrols—welcome to Denver’s roads

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Each afternoon, my three-mile commute home in Denver’s metro area is a nerve-wrecking ordeal. Drivers speed through stop signs, ignore red lights, or stop inexplicably at unmarked intersections. Cars swerve across lanes, straddle the center line, or disrupt four-way stops. 

Vehicles without plates, with expired tags, or overdue permits are all too common. 

As a single-income earner with only liability insurance, I dread a crash with an uninsured driver. 

One accident could destroy my car—my lifeline to work and rent.

Cole: Illegal driving, rising costs, and scarce patrols—welcome to Denver’s roads Read More »

The COvid Chronicles April 16–30: From tattletales to tyranny in just 14 days

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If the first two weeks of April 2020 made it clear to Coloradans their state was forever changed and would not be going back to the way it was any time soon, the later part of the month crystalized just how difficult earning back any God-given constitutional rights and freedoms would prove to be.

Much of that had to do with the heavy-handedness of Gov. Jared Polis, elected officials and unelected bureaucrats who weren’t keen on relinquishing their newfound regal powers over the people. 

More concerning was the increasing dogma from Coloradan to Coloradan, neighbor to neighbor, family member to family member. As Colorado’s COVID reopening quandary deepened, our sense of community was crushed.

The COvid Chronicles April 16–30: From tattletales to tyranny in just 14 days Read More »

O’Donnell: It’s costly to live in Colorado—and now we top the charts in personal debt

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Since 2021, inflation has been higher in Colorado than in any other state, mostly because of the cost of owning or renting a home. But this is also because the state legislature enjoys imposing new fees (you aren’t allowed to call them taxes) on seemingly anything they can think of.

Colorado residents may not, however, realize that because it is now so expensive to live in the state, Coloradans owe more money in mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, student loans and other consumer obligations than residents of ANY other state.

O’Donnell: It’s costly to live in Colorado—and now we top the charts in personal debt Read More »

Cooper: The biggest identity theft in Colorado history? Victims may have no idea

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Up to 4,000 Coloradans may have had their identities stolen – and none of them know it. That’s because the theft may be part of a massive political money laundering scheme involving groups like ActBlue.

ActBlue, a political fundraising platform that has facilitated $3.7 billion in contributions to Democrat campaigns, is under federal investigation. Multiple directors have resigned in recent months, according to reporting from the New York Times.

Cooper: The biggest identity theft in Colorado history? Victims may have no idea Read More »