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Ganahl: What’s inside the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’—and why it’s a game-changer for families and freedom
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Ganahl: What’s inside the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’—and why it’s a game-changer for families and freedom

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice They’re calling it the “Big Beautiful Bill”—and whether you love it or hate it, it’s the boldest shakeup to our tax and spending system since Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. Officially titled the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, this legislation does a lot: extends the Trump tax cuts, rewrites how safety net programs work, beefs up border and defense spending, and trims down the green energy handouts. There’s plenty to cheer—and plenty to argue over. Here’s a quick tour of what’s in the final version. Tax cuts for working families and seniors The Big Beautiful Bill locks in the 2017 marginal rate cuts and doubles the standard deduction, giving most families broad-based relief. The Child Tax Credit also gets a temporary ...
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Behind closed doors: Leaked memos reveal how Durango 9-R Schools avoided a DEI lawsuit—until now
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Behind closed doors: Leaked memos reveal how Durango 9-R Schools avoided a DEI lawsuit—until now

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Durango School District 9-R changed its hiring policy this spring without a public announcement—but the move didn’t go unnoticed. According to a new federal civil rights complaint filed by Mountain States Legal Foundation (MSLF) and authored by its general counsel, William Trachman, the district had for years pushed a race-conscious hiring agenda, encouraged by internal equity committees and shielded by carefully worded legal guidance.  Now, MSLF says those practices violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act—and that scrubbing the language in 2025 wasn’t enough to undo the damage. This filing is one of three separate federal complaints MSLF has submitted since late June. The others challenge a district policy that endorses race-based ...
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The COvid Chronicles June 16-23, 2020: Social justice got a platform—police got massive reform
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The COvid Chronicles June 16-23, 2020: Social justice got a platform—police got massive reform

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board In this ninth chapter of The COvid Chronicles, summer arrived—but sanity didn’t. Looking back at our COVID-19 history is painful. But as Spanish-American philosopher put it, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Approaching the summer solstice, Colorado entered a new phase—shaped not just by COVID-19, but by weeks of racial unrest.  Early tremors signaled what was coming. Inflation began to stir.  Ever-libertarian Gov. Jared Polis sermonized about how Coloradans needed the right “responsibility, behavior and will” to earn their freedoms back. CU Boulder, shrine of elite enlightenment, spoke solemnly of COVID safety out of one side of its mouth and pledged allegiance to the state’s racial reckoning out ...
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Devotional: The compass that always points to truth
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Devotional: The compass that always points to truth

By Pastor Drake Hunter | Commentary, Elevating Life Church I’ll never forget the sting of the Texas sun at Camp Bullis, just outside of San Antonio. It was the next phase of my training, following Basic Training and the Police Academy at Lackland Air Force Base. This training wasn’t just about learning the ins and outs of the M60 machine gun or polishing our field discipline—it was survival training in its rawest form. Out there in the wild terrain, you either adapted or you got lost. Literally. One of the most essential portions of our field training was compass navigation. Now, this wasn’t just about map-reading for the sake of passing a test. In real-world combat or security situations, knowing where you are—and where you’re headed—can be the difference between safety and disaster...
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Garbo: Sheriff Darren Weekly is the exception that proves the GOP’s problem
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Garbo: Sheriff Darren Weekly is the exception that proves the GOP’s problem

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In 2022, Darren Weekly wasn’t supposed to win. At least not according to the self-appointed gatekeepers of Republican purity in Douglas County. Branded a “RINO,” derided as “Tony 2.0,” and accused of being soft on Second Amendment rights due to the endorsement of outgoing Sheriff Tony Spurlock, Weekly was the target of aggressive intra-party attacks. The purist wing of the GOP put its full weight behind John Anderson, another outstanding, articulate, and Constitution-minded candidate whose campaign centered on resisting the Red Flag law and defending liberty.  I was among Anderson’s vocal supporters - endorsing, donating, campaigning, and even hosting events on his behalf. But Weekly won. By just over one percentag...
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DEI at a cost: Colorado schools caught in $70M federal freeze
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DEI at a cost: Colorado schools caught in $70M federal freeze

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado public schools are facing a $70 million funding freeze—part of a broader $6.8 billion nationwide hold triggered by the U.S. Department of Education. At the heart of the conflict are federal objections to DEI and LGBTQIA+ initiatives in schools, which have already led to lawsuits and pushed districts to search for new funding before fall. The freeze and federal justification The funding suspension follows executive orders issued by the Trump administration in early 2025. According to a July 2 notice sent to state education departments, the Department of Education is reviewing already-approved funds to ensure they align with new presidential priorities. Governor Jared Polis responded the same day, calling the act...
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Garbo: The Hippocratic Oath demands compassion—even for MAGA voters suffering from Texas floods
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Garbo: The Hippocratic Oath demands compassion—even for MAGA voters suffering from Texas floods

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The moment Dr. Christina B. Propst chose to mock flood-stricken Texans as “getting what they voted for,” she exposed a depth of moral bankruptcy that defies belief. In a now-deleted Facebook post under the name “Chris Tina,” she wished safety only for “children, non-MAGA voters and pets,” while implying that political affiliation should determine who deserves compassion amid a deadly disaster.  Her employer, Blue Fish Pediatrics, acted swiftly to dismiss her. But firing her is only the first step in addressing a breach that demands far stronger accountability. Propst’s remarks struck at the heart of medical ethics.  Every physician takes an oath to treat patients impartially, regardless of background or belie...
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Jeffco Kids First report reveals 33 staff misconduct cases in Jefferson County Schools
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Jeffco Kids First report reveals 33 staff misconduct cases in Jefferson County Schools

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice An alarming report released by Jeffco Kids First, a grassroots advocacy group led by teacher turned activist Lindsay Datko, has exposed 33 cases of sexual abuse and misconduct by staff in Jefferson County Public Schools since 2022. The article “33 Documented Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Cases in Jeffco Schools” presents a disturbing image of a district with systemic failures.  The data reveals a pattern of misconduct going unreported to the Colorado Department of Education. The scope of abuse: 33 cases and counting Superintendent Tracy Dorland has received pushback regarding the handling of these incidents, with critics citing inadequate communication and insufficient safety protocols. The report documents six ar...
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