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From silence to the mic: Why young conservatives say CSU’s TPUSA event matters
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories

From silence to the mic: Why young conservatives say CSU’s TPUSA event matters

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Turning Point USA is bringing Charlie Kirk and the American Comeback Tour to Colorado State University (CSU) on Sept. 18. The chapter will host two events that day—a midday “Prove Me Wrong” debate session and an evening program at the Lory Student Center Ballrooms. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with priority seating for CSU students, though community members are also welcome. Registration is required and first come, first served. https://twitter.com/vlynstam/status/1960774930544669136 Vega Stamatien, now a TPUSA College Rockies field representative after serving as chapter president at the University of Northern Colorado, said the event is about bringing students together for honest conversation. “It’s no secret that we need more civil discourse...
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Colorado Student Attendance Declines as Chronic Absences Rise Again
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State, Approved, The Gazette

Colorado Student Attendance Declines as Chronic Absences Rise Again

By Eric Young | The Gazette Colorado is heading in the wrong direction for absenteeism and student attendance, according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Education. The daily attendance and chronic absenteeism report for the 2024-25 school year showed slight declines in the former and increases in the latter. More than one in four Colorado students were chronically absent, according to the report. The average daily attendance rate was 91.4%, a 0.1% decrease from the year before. Chronic absenteeism statewide was 28.4% compared to 27.7% in 2023-24. The news comes after the state experienced improvements over the last two school years. But over 244,600 students were chronically absent in 2024-25, the third-highest rate since the state began collecting data...
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Colorado Lawmakers Hand Polis Authority for $300 Million in Spending Cuts
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State, Approved, DENVER7

Colorado Lawmakers Hand Polis Authority for $300 Million in Spending Cuts

By Brandon Richard | Denver7 The governor could make up to $300 million in spending cuts as part of the Democrats' plan to fix the budget gap. DENVER — Colorado’s special session is over, but there’s still more work to do to address the state’s $783 million budget gap. Most of that work will fall to Governor Jared Polis. Colorado’s Democratic legislative leaders have a three-part plan to address the budget gap. They took care of one part of that plan during their six-day special session when they cut several corporate tax breaks. "I'm grateful my colleagues didn't shy away from this challenge,” said Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver. “We faced it head-on. We rolled up our sleeves. We acted like the adults in the room." But they’re leaving the other two parts of...
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The special session leaves Polis with a $783M deficit — here’s how he can fix it without new taxes
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, State, Top Stories

The special session leaves Polis with a $783M deficit — here’s how he can fix it without new taxes

By Russ Minary | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Governor Polis recently called—and lawmakers have now concluded—a special session aimed at addressing the estimated State budget deficit of $1.2 to 1.6 BILLION. That means that every man, woman and child in CO has to pay $208 more this year. That’s in addition to all of the other current local, county, state, sales and special district taxes they are already paying. But kids don’t pay taxes; adults do. I think CO taxpayers and citizens already pay enough in taxes. While lawmakers passed roughly $300 million in tax changes during the session, the ball is now in Gov. Polis’ court. He has been given authority to sign the bills and make deep spending cuts, up to $300 million, to close the remaining $783 million gap. Rather than a...
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Colorado absorbed 43,000 illegal immigrants in 2 years as taxpayers foot the bill
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Breitbart, Approved, State

Colorado absorbed 43,000 illegal immigrants in 2 years as taxpayers foot the bill

By Warner Todd Huston | Breitbart Colorado gained 43,000 illegal aliens in just two years, a report revealed. The estimated number of illegal aliens living in Colorado jumped from 160,000 in 2021 to more than 200,000 by 2023, according to the latest report by Pew Research Center. The largest number of those illegals ended up in and around Denver, the paper reported. The number has jumped even more in the years covered by the Pew report, according to the Denver News Gazette. The paper noted that city officials pegged the number of illegals entering Denver at 43,000, of which about 20,000 have remained living in the city. The Gazette also claimed that the influx of illegals has cost the taxpayers of the city of Denver at least $100 million. The D...
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Colorado’s Shift Left Sparks Growing Resentment in Neighboring States
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State, Approved, Commentary, Fleeting West

Colorado’s Shift Left Sparks Growing Resentment in Neighboring States

By Wes Flynn | Commentary, Fleeting West (Substack) Coloradans were once known for being friendly, modest, and considerate. That reputation has fundamentally shifted thanks to the last three million people who arrived and steamrolled the place. I remember a time when meeting people and telling them that I'm from Colorado was met with intrigue and positive reception. Prior to the last 20 years or so, Coloradans were recognized as being friendly, modest, and maybe a little idiosyncratic due to our orientation to the outdoors and not paying much mind to the domestic space. Our roads were friendly and safe, our cities were quiet and friendly, and like most westerners, we really just wanted to go our own way and do our own thing and stay off the radar. But that reputation has fundament...
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Cost of Colorado dam project doubles to $2.7 billion as towns fear the price
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Cost of Colorado dam project doubles to $2.7 billion as towns fear the price

By Michael Booth | The Colorado Sun Northern Water has halted multiple contract bids while it scales back designs to hold together a coalition of water agencies Northern Water has halted some design and construction contracts and is cutting back its multibillion-dollar, two-dam supply project after its biggest customer said it was pulling out, officials said, as they detailed how the budget for their decades-long ambition suddenly jumped to $2.69 billion from $2 billion.  Four design-and-build contracts for the Northern Integrated Supply Project, meant to serve growth in 15 communities and water agencies, were pulled from the bidding process for at least three to four months while engineers consider how costs could be cut, Northern Water General Manager Brad Wind said in...
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Smoke and ash drive Colorado’s animals to the edge of survival
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Summit Daily, Approved, State

Smoke and ash drive Colorado’s animals to the edge of survival

By Allisyn Capel | Summit Daily With wildfires raging across Colorado amid extreme drought conditions, the state's inhabitants -- human and wildlife alike -- are bracing for impacts. On Friday, Aug. 22, around 207,500 acres were burning across the state in 17 fires. The vast majority of this acreage is attributed to nine large fires on the Western Slope. "Wildfires can have significant negative impacts to the landscape, wildlife and homes," said Brad Banuli, Colorado Parks and Wildlife's northwest region senior terrestrial biologist. In the last month, wildfires have prompted Parks and Wildlife to evacuate hundreds of native trout from the Stoner Mesa Fire in the San Juan Mountains, monitor a variety of wildlife species and habitats, and alter fall hunts for certain bear, elk and ...
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One third fixed two thirds punt: Colorado’s special session shrugs off hard cuts
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ScottKJames.com, Approved, Commentary, State

One third fixed two thirds punt: Colorado’s special session shrugs off hard cuts

By Scott K. James | Commentary, Scott K. James Dems filled about $253M of a $783M gap by ending tax breaks, then handed the real cuts to Polis and the reserves. One-third fixed. Two-thirds punted. The Denver Post reports that the Special Session Show wrapped after Democrats plugged about $253 million of a $783 million shortfall by ending tax breaks and other revenue moves. Roughly $530 million still yawns open. That hot potato now rolls to Gov. Jared Polis, who is expected to mix mid-year cuts with a deep dip into reserves. Eleven bills head to his desk. The biggest moneymaker, HB25B-1004, auctions tax credits for a one-time cash hit this year while sacrificing future revenue. The Post also notes the partisan script. Democrats...
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Senator Sullivan’s “just another form” gun law remark goes unchecked by media as sheriffs warn of crippling costs
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Senator Sullivan’s “just another form” gun law remark goes unchecked by media as sheriffs warn of crippling costs

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Senator Sullivan's dismissive rhetoric goes unchecked by the liberal media Let me start with a quote from Post "reporter" Nick Coltrain's article linked at bottom. "SB-3 does prohibit the sale of many semiautomatic weapons -- unless the purchaser has completed a firearm education course. The bill was heavily amended while it made its way through the legislature and Sullivan now describes it as a 'permit-to-purchase' law. People who follow the law haven’t lost access to anything in recent years -- and won’t under this law, Sullivan said. But laws need to change as society changes, he said. Sullivan likened the new gun laws to the shift toward widespread adoption of seatbelts in cars a few generations ago. It didn’t ha...
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