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Trial for suspects in mayoral campaign hate crime ‘hoax’ commences Monday
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Trial for suspects in mayoral campaign hate crime ‘hoax’ commences Monday

By Mackenzie Bodell | Denver Gazette The federal trial for two of the three suspects facing charges related to a hate crime “hoax” that made headlines during the 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election is set to begin Monday. In November, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado announced that Derrick Bernard Jr., 35, Ashely Blackcloud, 40, and Deanna West, 38, were indicted by a federal grand jury for “maliciously conveying false information about a threat made by means of fire” to draw support for the eventual mayoral race winner, now Mayor Yemi Mobolade. The indictment states that the hate crime itself involved a burning cross in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur amid the runoff between Mobolade, who is Black, and Wayne Williams, who is White. READ THE...
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Tracking collar signals death of female wolf in northwest Colorado, marks fourth this year
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Approved, Aspen Times, State

Tracking collar signals death of female wolf in northwest Colorado, marks fourth this year

By Ali Longwell | Aspen Times One of Colorado’s reintroduced wolves died on Thursday, May 15, in the state’s northwest region.  Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials confirmed on Friday that they received a mortality alert on the female wolf’s collar on Thursday. The agency provided no additional details on the incident or the cause of death.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will conduct the investigation and necropsy to determine what caused its death.   The wolf’s death marks the fourth death this year of the 15 animals that Parks and Wildlife brought from British Columbia in January.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE ASPEN TIMES
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Governor’s executive order threatening loss of funding draws fire for overriding local housing control
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Approved, CBS Colorado, Local, State

Governor’s executive order threatening loss of funding draws fire for overriding local housing control

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is putting local governments on notice: Either they comply with state housing laws, or they risk losing at least $100 million a year in state funding. The governor signed an executive order that takes the battle over local control to a new level. Over the last two years, he's signed bills regarding residential occupancy limits and accessory dwelling units, transit-oriented communities and manufactured homes, and even limits on staircases and parking spots. But not everyone is on board with the new laws. Some local governments have flat out refused to comply. So the governor is upping the ante. "What we are doing now is making sure we are putting our money where our mouth is," Gov. Polis told CBS Colorado.  Polis signed an ex...
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The COvid Chronicles May 8–15, 2020: C&C made headlines. Polis made an example. Colorado made up its mind.
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

The COvid Chronicles May 8–15, 2020: C&C made headlines. Polis made an example. Colorado made up its mind.

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board This fourth installment of RMV’s COvid Chronicles picks up where the last left off – but this time, the spark became a blaze. We split this chapter into two parts to capture the rapid escalation. Part one chronicled the mounting tensions. Part two reveals the eruption. The governor’s enforcers tried to make an example of C&C. Instead, they created a rallying cry. In just seven days, Colorado witnessed threats, shutdowns, viral videos and a surge of defiance that no press conference could contain. Counties revolted, small towns reopened and sheriffs made it clear: the edicts had lost their teeth. These are the COvid Chronicles for May 8-15, 2020… COvid Chronicles catch-up• Introducing The COvid Chronicles: How fear and force reshape...
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Silent signature, rising resistance: HB1312 becomes law, but parents vow to fight on
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Silent signature, rising resistance: HB1312 becomes law, but parents vow to fight on

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 25-1312 into law on Friday, May 16, without a press conference, social media announcement or public ceremony. While the bill, known as the "Kelly Loving Act," was hailed by progressive lawmakers as a milestone for transgender rights, many Coloradans who opposed the bill say the governor's quiet signature is a telling indication of just how controversial the legislation had become. Parental rights groups and faith-based organizations who protested HB25-1312 throughout the session say the final version still undermines their fundamental freedoms. They argue the amendments stripped from the bill prove public pressure worked – but insist what remains is a direct threat to families, schools and the Constitution. ...
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Hyten: To beat China, keep Space Command fully operational
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Approved, Commentary, gazette.com, National, State

Hyten: To beat China, keep Space Command fully operational

By John Hyten | The Gazette, Commentary At the Space Symposium in Colorado last month, one topic stood out: the possibility of moving Space Command out of Colorado Springs. As the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the decision to move the command to Huntsville, Ala., was made in 2021, I’m concerned that relocating Space Command would threaten our national security. At the end of his first term, President Donald Trump decided to move Space Command to Huntsville. The decision was lawfully made, based on the results of an Air Force basing study and only constrained by lack of funding (i.e., billions never appropriated by Congress). My best military advice at the time (granted, a minority opinion) was to leave the command in Colorado due to the significant space threats ema...
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Colorado named least obese state in America
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Approved, KYGO, State

Colorado named least obese state in America

By Shawn Patrick | KYGO It seems like everyone is on weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy these days, but around two in five American adults are still obese. Here in Colorado, we are doing much better, though! “U.S. News & World Report” has ranked the most obese states in the U.S., based on survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Overall, 39 states have obesity rates of 30 percent or more, and three are over 40 percent. READ THE FULL STORY AT KYGO
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Colorado falls in business rankings as Denver Chamber of Commerce faults heavy regulation
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Colorado falls in business rankings as Denver Chamber of Commerce faults heavy regulation

By Thelma Grimes | Denver Gazette As Colorado continues to trend downward on the national economic scale, the Denver Chamber of Commerce is critical of the direction the state’s Democratic-led legislature took in 2025 and in recent years. The main message at Tuesday’s annual post-legislative State of the State event, hosted by the chamber, was that the anti-business, pro-regulation approach is failing the business community. Chamber members discussed Colorado's economic challenges and legislative impacts. In giving a rundown of bills affecting the business community after the 2025 session, chamber members Rachel Beck and Carly West pointed to CNBC’s annual top states for business rankings. Once a perennial top 10, Colorado was ranked 11th last year and dropped to 16th this year. ...
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The COvid Chronicles May 1–7, 2020: Seven days that set the stage for open rebellion
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

The COvid Chronicles May 1–7, 2020: Seven days that set the stage for open rebellion

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board This third installment of RMV’s COvid Chronicles is divided into two parts — for good reason. The first week of May set the stage for something bigger: the breaking point. As pressure mounted and defiance spread, Colorado crossed from quiet frustration into open resistance. Part one captures the fuse. Part two will show the wildfire. May began just like April ended – edicts from above, fear from the press and politicians telling Coloradans to stay home, shut up and stay six feet apart. But by the first week of the month, cracks were showing.  From Castle Rock to Colorado Springs, citizens, sheriffs and small-business owners weren’t waiting for permission. They had bills to pay, kids to raise and a Constitution they weren’t willing to qu...
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Medicaid bill targets Colorado over health care for illegal immigrants
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Approved, DENVER7, State

Medicaid bill targets Colorado over health care for illegal immigrants

By Brandon Richard | Denver7 DENVER — A bill that would overhaul Medicaid and penalize states like Colorado that provide state-funded health care coverage to undocumented immigrants advanced in a U.S. House committee on Wednesday. Denver7 is keeping an eye on the lengthy debates in Congress over the so-called "big, beautiful bill" that would extend and increase tax cuts by making cuts to Medicaid and other benefit programs. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said several committees worked all night and have now passed their portions of the bill. He hopes to pass it in the full House and send it to the U.S. Senate before Memorial Day. READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER7
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