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Unleashed with Heidi Ganahl: Meeting Homelessness with Hope
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Unleashed with Heidi Ganahl: Meeting Homelessness with Hope

By Heidi Ganahl | Unleashed with Heidi Ganahl >> LISTEN TO FULL EPISODE HERE << Today we confront Denver's worsening homelessness crisis head-on. Despite a staggering $274 million investment from 2021 to 2024, the situation has only deteriorated, sparking outrage and demanding accountability. This funding has largely been channeled into emergency shelter beds and temporary transition services, strategies that have proven insufficient in addressing the complexities of homelessness. As a result, Denver has seen the largest increase in homeless populations compared to other metro areas since 2018, indicating that these efforts have fallen short of their goals. This episode will not shy away from the controversy. Joining us is Vanessa from Citizens for a Safe and Clean Denver to...
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Who Raided Your Share of $2.8 Billion in TABOR Tax Refunds?
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Who Raided Your Share of $2.8 Billion in TABOR Tax Refunds?

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff As a result of 101 bills passed by the Colorado legislature, over $2.8 billion in state TABOR refunds will not be distributed to Colorado taxpayers between 2024 and 2026, according to a recent report from the Common Sense Institute (CSI). This amount represents nearly half of the projected $6 billion in TABOR refunds expected over the next three years. Key Findings: The $2.8 billion loss in TABOR refunds is attributed to various tax cuts and the costs of bills impacting TABOR. The legislature's actions during the 2024 session have significantly redirected funds meant for taxpayer refunds. CSI's report indicates that TABOR refund cuts will increase over the next three years, with reductions of $523 million in 2024, $1.06 billion in 2025, and $1.25 ...
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Ballot initiatives seek to ban biological boys in girls’ sports, require schools to notify parents over ‘gender incongruence’
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Ballot initiatives seek to ban biological boys in girls’ sports, require schools to notify parents over ‘gender incongruence’

By Marianne Goodland | Denver Gazette A parent who sued the Wellington School District over an LGBTQ middle-high school club is seeking to put a measure in front of voters in November that would require schools to notify parents when their child expresses "gender incongruence." Another ballot initiative would prohibit biological males from participating in girls' sports at the K-12 level. The group collecting petition signatures for the two measures is called "Protect Kids Colorado," which is led by former state Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Erin Lee, a Fort Collins parent who earlier said her 12-year-old daughter was invited by an art teacher to an after-school art club that was really about gender and sexuality. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Gov. Polis vetoes 6 bills dealing with variety of subjects, 300 more awaiting his penstroke
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Gov. Polis vetoes 6 bills dealing with variety of subjects, 300 more awaiting his penstroke

By Thelma Grimes | Colorado Politics Gov. Jared Polis’ office announced late Friday evening that the governor has rejected six bills, including measures that deal with employee discipline, construction wages and the treatment of energy derived from burning solid waste.  It's the governor's first vetoes of bills passed in this year's legislative session, when lawmakers sent more than 500 bills of the 705 introduced to Polis' desk. As for Friday night, Polis was still working through more than 300 bills that needed his action. One of the bills vetoed involved wage claims in the construction industry. House Bill 1008 would have made a general contractor liable for wage claims by workers for salaries allegedly owed by a subcontractor. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO ...
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Only 3 state legislators get ‘A’ grade on ’24 Liberty Scorecard, 87% of legislators fail the test
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Only 3 state legislators get ‘A’ grade on ’24 Liberty Scorecard, 87% of legislators fail the test

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Three percent of all state legislators graded an A and 87% of legislators had a failing grade in the Liberty Scorecard Colorado ratings released Friday following the close of the 74th General Assembly. The annual study found the three lawmakers most strongly adhering to the principles of the U.S. Constitution through their legislation and votes are the same from last session, with a different order. Rep. Ken DeGraff, an El Paso County Republican ranked second last session, earned an A-grade and topped the list with a score of 95 this session. Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Freemont County Republican who was rated first last year, was rated third this session with an A grade and 92-point score. Ranking second was Rep. Scott Bottoms, an El Paso County ...
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The state’s largest utility will file a new wildfire mitigation plan next month. What might that look like?
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The state’s largest utility will file a new wildfire mitigation plan next month. What might that look like?

By Mark Jaffe | The Colorado Sun An inquiry by state regulators into Xcel Energy’s April “public safety” electricity outage — which created chaos in parts of the Front Range — has yielded a list of potential steps utilities and communities might take to limit future problems. Faced with high winds April 6, Xcel Energy, the state’s largest electricity provider, preemptively shut down parts of its electric grid to reduce wildfire risk. The shut-offs lasted through April 7. Local emergency management officials complained there was inadequate notice of the shut-offs and in Boulder County the wastewater treatment plant was close to dumping raw sewage into Boulder Creek before power was restored. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Wolf advocates charged with illegal lobbying of lawmakers at state capitol
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Wolf advocates charged with illegal lobbying of lawmakers at state capitol

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The state's election office on Monday began proceedings against an advocate for wolves in Colorado over allegations of illegally lobbying during the 2024 session at the state Capitol.  Initially, a second individual was also accused of illegal lobbying, but that complaint has been dismissed. The complaints, filed in March by John Williams, who operates Colorado Wolf Tracker, claimed Stephen Capra and his organization, Bold Visions Conservation, lobbied multiple legislators on behalf of a paying client, all without registering and without disclosing the client’s identity as required by law.  READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Ten bills passed in session, earning some bipartisan support, aimed to address variety of water issues
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Ten bills passed in session, earning some bipartisan support, aimed to address variety of water issues

By Larry Morandi and Jerd Smith | The Colorado Sun Colorado lawmakers gave the thumbs-up to 10 water measures this year that will bring millions of dollars in new funding to help protect streams, bring oversight to construction activities in wetlands and rivers, make commercial rainwater harvesting easier and support efforts to restore the clarity of Grand Lake. Money for water conservation, planning and projects was a big winner, with some $50 million approved, including $20 million to purchase the Shoshone water rights on the Colorado River. Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, chair of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, expressed gratitude for the legislature’s focus on water issues and for funding the Shoshone purchase. “This continues to show the state...
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Cole Finegan stepping down as U.S. Attorney for Colorado
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Cole Finegan stepping down as U.S. Attorney for Colorado

By Daniel Boniface | The Denver Gazette Cole Finegan on Wednesday announced he's stepping down as United States Attorney for the District of Colorado at the end of the month. Finegan, who was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, took the oath of office on Dec. 1, 2021. His last day on the job will be May 31. During his time as U.S. Attorney, Finegan's office represented the U.S. in criminal and civil court matters in Colorado and the in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
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Broncos ’24 schedule includes prime-time matchups against Browns, Saints
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Broncos ’24 schedule includes prime-time matchups against Browns, Saints

By Aric DiLalla | DenverBroncos.com For the second time in three years, the Broncos will open their season visiting a former division rival. In a slate that features two prime-time games and begins with three of four games on the road, the Broncos will kick off their 2024 season with a Week 1 matchup in Seattle against the Seahawks (Sunday, Sept. 8, 1:05 p.m. PT). Denver also opened the 2022 season in Seattle, and this year's Week 1 matchup marks the third time in the last four years the Broncos have opened on the road. The Broncos hold a 10-13 record on the road in Week 1 games and have earned the most Week 1 wins of any team since 1960. The Broncos will also play early season road games in Week 3 and Week 4, as Denver is set to travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday,...
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