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Appeals court says reduction in parenting time, even a substantial one, is not a ‘restriction’
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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 ...
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Lundberg: Colorado’s 2025 legislature—a case study in big government overreach
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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...
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UCCS under scrutiny for alleged race-based policies in higher education shakeup
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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...
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Early cash surge in Colorado’s 8th congressional district as Democrats target Rep. Gabe Evans’ seat
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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...
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Choked out: How Colorado’s regulatory maze is starving its energy producers
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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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Train conductor who revived ski train wants to fix I-70 traffic with ‘rail bridge’
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Train conductor who revived ski train wants to fix I-70 traffic with ‘rail bridge’

By David O. Williams | Denver Gazette A longtime Amtrak train conductor credited with crafting a business plan that helped revive the mothballed Winter Park Express ski train in 2017 now has a plan to get at least 60% of the commercial truck traffic off of Interstate 70 and free it up for skiers, snowboarders and other mountain travelers. Brad Swartzwelter, 60, retired as conductor of the ski train last spring after 30 years with Amtrak, the federal rail agency that runs the popular, seasonal and recently expanded ski train service between Denver’s Union Station and the city of Denver’s Winter Park Resort. “I-70 congestion has cost us dearly in the snow sports industry, and it is my absolute mission in life … to get people safely, conveniently and economically up to our economic e...
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Colorado ‘ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America’ says acting DEA administrator
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Approved, DENVER7, State, Top Stories

Colorado ‘ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America’ says acting DEA administrator

ByTony Kovaleski | Denver7 CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said Colorado is “ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America” and leadership for the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. “We are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado,” said Derek Maltz, who stepped into his role just after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, adding that this new information was based on intelligence from front-line agents in the Rocky Mountain Division of the DEA. Maltz was in Denver on Thursday to visit with roughly 150 agents and employees of the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division. He spoke exclusively with Denver7 Investigates during his visit regardi...
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Bill to add 15 judges heads to Colorado governor’s desk
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Bill to add 15 judges heads to Colorado governor’s desk

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics Legislation to add 15 new judgeships in trial courts across the state is headed to the governor's desk for signature, as Colorado's House of Representatives approved the bill on Thursday with no votes in opposition. Senate Bill 24 is the Judicial Department's top legislative priority, and was originally intended to add 29 new judgeships over a two-year period. Three of those would have gone to the Court of Appeals, and the remaining positions were earmarked for various trial courts. However, due to budgetary concerns, lawmakers scaled back the bill to add just 15 new seats over the next two years. "We are grateful to the bill sponsors and the General Assembly for moving this bill through the legislative process, especially ...
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Bill to stop growing number of grocers from selling booze passes key House committee
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Bill to stop growing number of grocers from selling booze passes key House committee

By David Migoya | Denver Gazette The unanimous vote virtually assures a smooth path for legislation that would put hard brakes on the quickly expanding sale of spirits outside of local liquor stores. Colorado’s independent liquor stores won a resounding victory Thursday as a state House committee unanimously approved a bill that would freeze any increase to the number of grocery stores selling hard booze. The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee passed Senate Bill 25-33 by a 13-0 bipartisan vote, virtually assuring a smooth path for legislation that would put hard brakes on the quickly expanding sale of spirits outside of local liquor stores. After already passing the Senate largely un-amended, the bill faces a hearing before the House committee on appropriation...
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Zeldin: Trump administration to rewrite WOTUS rule
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Approved, National, State, The Fence Post

Zeldin: Trump administration to rewrite WOTUS rule

By Jerry Hagstrom | The Fence Post Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced today that EPA will work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to revise the definition of the Waters of the United States. At a news conference surrounded by Republican members of Congress, Zeldin said that the Trump administration wants to write a revised definition that “follows the law, reduces red tape, cuts overall permitting costs, and lowers the cost of doing business in communities across the country while protecting the nation’s navigable waters from pollution.” Zeldin said that the Trump administration wants to write a practical rule that will follow the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency and not be a “ping pong” in court decisio...
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