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Working Families Slammed as COVID Subsidies End: Health Premiums May Double
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State, CBS News

Working Families Slammed as COVID Subsidies End: Health Premiums May Double

By Shaun Boyd | CBS News Republicans' sweeping measure to cut taxes and reduce spending is expected to hit the Senate floor next week. In addition to making big changes to Medicaid, the bill also allows tax credits for those who get health insurance on the state exchange to expire. Connect for Health Colorado says Coloradans on the exchange could see premiums increase by $3,000 a year if that happens. Approximately 80 percent of people who get insurance on the state exchange receive a federal subsidy. While credits were initially tied to income, the American Rescue Plan expanded them to everyone. In rural and mountain communities where insurance can run a family upwards of $30,000 a year, those credits have made insurance affordable for tens of thousands of Coloradans, including R...
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Barstnar and Milo: Energy mandates are making Colorado unaffordable
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denvergazette.com, State

Barstnar and Milo: Energy mandates are making Colorado unaffordable

By Kathie Barstnar and Tony Milo | Commentary, Denver Gazette Progress should not come at the expense of affordability. As Colorado moves toward a lower-carbon future, families and businesses deserve energy options that are reliable, cost-effective, and reflect their needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Choice and balance should guide this transition, not rising bills and reduced options. As organizations working to meet Colorado’s growing housing and economic development needs, we see firsthand how rising construction costs and added building requirements are making it harder to deliver buildings and homes that small businesses and working families can afford. The housing affordability crisis is getting worse, and we must implement policies that support Coloradans working to mak...
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As seniors try to downsize, Colorado’s housing market shuts them out
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The Colorado Sun, State

As seniors try to downsize, Colorado’s housing market shuts them out

By Brian Eason | Colorado Sun Most older residents want to age in place. But experts say Colorado’s housing stock wasn’t built with their needs in mind. Pat Malone moved to Arvada with her husband in the early 2010s for a more affordable retirement than they could have found in California. “Or so we thought,” she said wryly. The empty-nesters rented at first, then bought a single-family home. When the stairs became more daunting for her husband, it took them a long time to find what they needed. A single-floor condominium, with no stairs and no garden to maintain is a unicorn in Colorado. “We couldn’t find anything like that when we were (first) looking for a property,” said Malone, 76. “We really had no choice but to buy a house.” Seniors like Malone make up Colo...
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Colorado halts TRACER after Minnesota murders so lawmakers can redact personal info
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denvergazette.com, State

Colorado halts TRACER after Minnesota murders so lawmakers can redact personal info

By Marianne Goodland | Denver Gazette State lawmakers can remove personal information before TRACER site restored TRACER, the Secretary of State's campaign finance website, was taken down on Saturday in the wake of the shootings of four individuals, including two lawmakers, in Minnesota. Two of the victims, Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, were killed in the attack by an individual who posed as a police officer. Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot but are expected to recover. According to NPR, the suspect, Vance Boelter, had a "hit list" of 45 state officials, all Democrats. He was taken into custody Sunday and has been charged with state and federal murder charges. TRACER, aka Transparency in Contribution and Expenditure Report...
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Hardin: Why the NRA-ILA legislative roundups matter more than ever
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Hardin: Why the NRA-ILA legislative roundups matter more than ever

By Amanda Hardin | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Last week, Rocky Mountain Voice partnered with the NRA-Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) to host two critical Second Amendment Legislative Roundups—first in Lakewood, then in Fort Morgan. These events weren’t just a chance to hand out bumper stickers and shake hands; they were about mobilization. Colorado’s gun owners are facing unprecedented legislative attacks, and what we saw in those rooms was the beginning of a serious response. The first event took place on June 10 at Bristlecone Shooting, Training & Retail Center in Lakewood. Over 45 citizens gathered to review the flurry of anti-gun bills that crossed the governor’s desk this year, including the newly signed Senate Bill 25-003. Attendees walked away not only wit...
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Western Heritage Lives On: Pony Express Riders Head Through Colorado Towns
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State, Fox31

Western Heritage Lives On: Pony Express Riders Head Through Colorado Towns

By Heather Willard | KDVR FOX 31 DENVER (KDVR) — Have you ever wanted to see the Pony Express operating as it once did in 1860? There’s a chance to do just that thanks to the National Pony Express Association. On Wednesday, July 11, the organization launched its annual re-ride in Sacramento, California, and if all goes well, by 7:30 p.m. on July 21, the mail carried by the riders will be in St. Joseph, Missouri. What was the Pony Express, and why are there re-rides? The Pony Express Trail crosses 1,966 miles in eight states, and at one point in American history, the Pony Express was the fastest way to deliver mail. The Pony Express began operations on June 16, 1860, according to the National Pony Express Association, and about 10 weeks later, Congress authorized a transcontinental tele...
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Justice on hold: Lawmakers race to fix Colorado’s rape kit backlog
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Top Stories, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Justice on hold: Lawmakers race to fix Colorado’s rape kit backlog

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice A backlog of 1,369 untested sexual assault kits at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation delays justice and drives significant costs, per a June 2025 report from the Common Sense Institute. Authored by former Denver DA Mitch Morrissey and Senior Analyst Erik Gamm, the report estimates clearing this backlog could prevent 1,481 crimes—including 1,030 sexual assaults—and save Colorado $234.7 million.  The Yvonne “Missy” Woods scandal, involving manipulated DNA in over a thousand cases since 2014, worsened this crisis, exposing gaps in CBI’s processes.  Two bills, HB25-1275 and SB25-304, address these issues, as Rep. Matt Soper (R-Delta), co-sponsor of HB25-1275, detailed in a Rocky Mountain Voice interview. The Wo...
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Wolf pups den near Colorado cattle—rancher calls policy ‘the dumbest thing in the world’
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Outdoor Life, State

Wolf pups den near Colorado cattle—rancher calls policy ‘the dumbest thing in the world’

By Natalie Krebs | Outdoor Life One rancher says the Copper Creek Pack, which has a history of hunting and killing livestock, is raising pups just a quarter mile from his cattle Wolf pups have been spotted in Pitkin County, Colorado, according to several sources, including a rancher whose calf was attacked by wolves this spring. Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed that it has seen pups in an emailed statement to Outdoor Life, and that their employees are continuing to monitor four den sites.  “CPW staff have begun to get minimum counts of pups by both direct observations and indirect methods,” the spokesperson wrote. “It is important to note that sighting numbers (especially from early season sightings) are not a guaranteed number of animals since certainty in det...
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Colorado Senate Republicans elect leadership team focused on families, farms and affordability
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories

Colorado Senate Republicans elect leadership team focused on families, farms and affordability

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice As the Colorado State Senate prepares to welcome new leadership, the upper chamber’s storied traditions—from appointing its first chaplain in 1885 to its streamlined legislative process—set the stage for a fresh chapter in state governance. The Colorado Senate GOP elected new leadership this week, and two lawmakers are stepping into new roles with the weight of the session—and its unfinished business—clearly in view. The shift puts rural concerns and working family issues squarely in focus ahead of the 2026 session. Sen. Cleave Simpson (Alamosa) was named Minority Leader, taking over for Paul Lundeen. Sen. Lisa Frizell (Castle Rock) was elected Assistant Minority Leader.  “I’m honored by the trust my colleagues have placed in me to le...
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From real estate to crypto to Colorado: Eric Trump to speak at RMV Mountain Majesty Gala
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

From real estate to crypto to Colorado: Eric Trump to speak at RMV Mountain Majesty Gala

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice They didn’t want this event to happen. Activists have spent weeks pressuring the venue, trying to intimidate organizers into pulling the plug. But the Rocky Mountain Voice’s first Mountain Majesty Gala is moving forward – and Eric Trump is headlining it. His June 21 appearance comes as conservatives in Colorado work to turn energy into strategy – and frustration into action. While his last name still dominates headlines, Trump arrives not just as a surrogate – but as a strategist, builder and global voice for strength, sovereignty and innovation. With protest threats in the background, and momentum from the base up front, the Gala is already doing what it set out to do: make waves. Trump spent summers in the Czech countryside with his ...
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