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Colorado drug bust includes elephant sedative
CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado drug bust includes elephant sedative

By Logan Smith | CBS Colorado Three people recently arrested for carrying drugs in western Colorado had among their stash an opioid said to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.  A Delta County Sheriff's Office deputy pulled over a vehicle on March 3 that was swerving over the lane stripes on Highway 50 west of Delta.  Another Delta deputy invited his K9 "Teg" to sniff the vehicle. The dog alerted to the presence of narcotics.  The deputies removed the three people from the car and searched it, finding approximately 1500 fentanyl pills, 50 grams of fentanyl powder, 12 grams of ecstacy pills, 454 grams of methamphetamine, and 21 grams of Carfentanil.  READ FULL ARTICLE ON CBS COLORADO
Colorado veterinary professional associate bill sparks debate among advocates and critics
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado veterinary professional associate bill sparks debate among advocates and critics

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Advocates argue that a bill establishing implementation procedures for the newly created veterinary professional associate position includes provisions that contradict the intent of what Colorado voters approved in Proposition 129 in November. House Bill 1285, sponsored by Reps. Karen McCormick, D-Hygiene, and Sens. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, and Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, tasks Colorado's Board of Veterinary Medicine with adopting rules regarding the education, accreditation, and scope of practice for veterinary professional associates. This is a first-of-its-kind position established through Proposition 129, which passed with nearly 53% of the vote in last year’s election. The bill passed in an 11-1 vote, with Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora...
Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters’ time in Larimer County Jail is taking a toll, according to her legal team and supporters. They say she’s experiencing memory loss, declining health and mistreatment—claims that have only fueled concerns about her condition. With growing pressure on Governor Jared Polis to grant a pardon, Peters’ case is becoming a test of justice, fairness and political influence in Colorado. Attorney John Case, who has been visiting Peters regularly, described noticeable changes in her health since she was taken into custody. "I visit Tina approximately weekly, the most recent visit was Sunday, March 16. I notice that Tina has difficulty with memory and word finding, compared to her cognitive abil...
HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Framed as a water conservation bill, HB25-1211 passed the Colorado House on March 17, with unanimous Republican opposition and four Democrats voting against it. Despite its stated goal of ensuring fairness in water tap fees, critics argue the bill primarily benefits developers over homeowners, forcing local water districts to subsidize high-density developments while shifting costs to existing ratepayers.​ Democrat Reps. Rebecca Stewart and Sheila Lieder, sponsors of the bill, argue it is necessary to prevent water districts from using tap fees to discourage development.  “The bill makes sure that special districts aren’t using the levying of tap fees in order to influence land use, discourage more water-efficient...
Federal judge dismisses claims against Academy District 20 officials for ejecting man from meeting
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Federal judge dismisses claims against Academy District 20 officials for ejecting man from meeting

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics A federal judge on Monday concluded a man who was ejected from an Academy District 20 school board meeting in December 2023 had not stated viable claims that district officials violated his constitutional rights. Brett Dayberry had been speaking during the public comment period about "numerous extremely vile passages" in a book that was available in his granddaughter's school library. When he started quoting passages that employed profanity, the board president told Dayberry to refrain from using those words. Dayberry continued, prompting security to remove him from the meeting. Dayberry then alleged the El Paso County-based district and its officials violated his First Amendment rights and his right to equal protection of the laws. But after ...
Appeals court says reduction in parenting time, even a substantial one, is not a ‘restriction’
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Appeals court says reduction in parenting time, even a substantial one, is not a ‘restriction’

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics Colorado's second-highest court ruled for the first time on Thursday that even if a judge substantially reduces the amount of time a parent may spend with their child, it is not a "restriction" that requires a heightened justification. A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals acknowledged that under its interpretation of the law, a judge could theoretically slash a parent's time with their child to a single overnight visit a year without having to find the child's health or development is endangered. "In any event, if the General Assembly wishes to establish some threshold of purely quantitative change that would require more than merely being in the child’s best interests, it is of course free to do so," wrote Judge Ted C. Tow III in the ...
Lundberg: Colorado’s 2025 legislature—a case study in big government overreach
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Lundberg: Colorado’s 2025 legislature—a case study in big government overreach

By Kevin Lundberg | Guest Columnist, Rocky Mountain Voice The Colorado legislature is more than halfway through this year’s session.    Like the past six years of the Polis administration, this session has seen radical bills roar through the legislature with many passing on party-line votes. If the governor is consistent with what he has done in the past he will sign virtually all of these extreme bills and continue to fundamentally transform Colorado. This is a brief overview of bad, dumb and dangerous bills that are currently moving through the Colorado legislature. For a more complete listing of the worst bills I have identified, check out the weekly Lundberg Report I publish on my website, KevinLundberg.com. My criteria for bad bills are those that grow go...
UCCS under scrutiny for alleged race-based policies in higher education shakeup
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

UCCS under scrutiny for alleged race-based policies in higher education shakeup

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is among more than 50 universities facing federal investigations as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to restore merit-based education and dismantle discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The U.S. Department of Education announced the investigations on Friday, reinforcing its commitment to ensuring that federal funding is not used to support race-based preferences in admissions, scholarships, or other aspects of student life. This move comes after a memo last month warning institutions that such policies violate federal civil rights laws and could result in a loss of federal funding. The investigation into UCCS stems from allegations that the university engaged in ra...
Early cash surge in Colorado’s 8th congressional district as Democrats target Rep. Gabe Evans’ seat
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Early cash surge in Colorado’s 8th congressional district as Democrats target Rep. Gabe Evans’ seat

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel has raised more than $1 million since launching his bid in late January to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado's swingy 8th Congressional District, his campaign said. In just six weeks, Rutinel entered seven-figure territory with the help of more than 23,000 individual contributors, for an average contribution of less than $35, according to the Commerce City state lawmaker's campaign. More than 99% of contributions were under $100, a campaign spokeswoman added. Evans, an Army veteran and retired police officer, is serving his first term representing the Northern Front Range district after defeating Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo by fewer than 2,500 votes in last year's...
Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Few states rival Colorado’s wealth of energy resources, but its oil and gas industry is up against increasing challenges. Small and mid-sized operators, once the industry’s backbone, are struggling with a growing tangle of regulations.  Delayed permits, overlapping oversight and rising fines are making it harder to stay in business, forcing many to reconsider their future in the state. Ryan Clark, Vice President of Engineering at Petrox Resources and a fourth-generation Coloradan working in his family’s oil and gas business, has watched small operators disappear under the weight of increased regulations. "Honestly, I don’t know if oil and gas has a future here," he said. "Growing up, this was a business people bui...

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