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Colorado Parks and Wildlife capture, relocate Rampart Bighorn Sheep for new herd
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Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Colorado Parks and Wildlife capture, relocate Rampart Bighorn Sheep for new herd

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado In January, Colorado Parks and Wildlife began an operation to capture 20 Rampart Bighorn Sheep to start a new herd. Every morning staff and volunteers have been spreading apple pulp and alfalfa to prep the sheep for capture at an old quarry above Colorado Springs. Officials said the sheep will be relocated to the mountains southwest of Pueblo to start a new herd. The bales of hay and apple pulp are intended to lure the 150-member Rampart herd, where a net will be set up to catch 20 of the Bighorn Sheep. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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Weld County senator hopes to pass bill to lower Coloradans’ transportation costs
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The Center Square, Approved, State

Weld County senator hopes to pass bill to lower Coloradans’ transportation costs

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square A Colorado state senator has proposed legislation to minimize transportation fees in an effort to lower prices for residents. “Colorado’s transportation costs are out of control,” said newly-elected Sen. Scott Bright, R-Platteville. “I’m introducing a bill to repeal fees for real relief. Let’s make transportation affordable again!” The bill is part of a larger 2025 legislative plan from Colorado Republicans to lower costs for Colorado families by repealing various fees. In total, they predict their proposals could save the average Colorado family $4,500. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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Flags to be lifted to full-staff today in Colorado by order of Gov. Jared Polis
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Flags to be lifted to full-staff today in Colorado by order of Gov. Jared Polis

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat and chair of the National Governors Association, on Friday proclaimed that flags should be raised to full-staff on Monday. President-elect Donald J. Trump will be administered his oath of office as President of the United States at noon Monday, Jan. 20. Meanwhile, flags had previously been ordered to remain at half-staff for 30 days as the nation mourns the death of former President Jimmy Carter. Flags are ordered to remain at full-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday throughout Colorado, Gov. Polis' order reads, and then should be lowered to half-staff for the remainder of the 30 days of mourning, through Jan. 28.
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Rep. Scott Bottoms declares to church, ‘I am going to run for governor’
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Rep. Scott Bottoms declares to church, ‘I am going to run for governor’

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Rep. Scott Bottoms, rated as the second-most conservative member of the Colorado General Assembly, has indicated he will seek the Republican Party's nomination for governor. "I am going to run for governor," Bottoms told members of the Church at Briargate before beginning his weekly Sunday morning sermon. Bottoms, in addition to serving El Paso County in District 15 in the Colorado House, is lead pastor at the Church at Briargate in Colorado Springs, and indicated a desire for the church to hear his announcement first. "If I don't get elected, nothing changes, except probably 4-5 bitter sermons for the next few weeks after that," Bottoms said. He is rated by Colorado Liberty Scorecard as one of three legislators among 100 in 2024 to hav...
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In clandestine operation, 20 wolves have been released in Pitkin and Eagle County
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

In clandestine operation, 20 wolves have been released in Pitkin and Eagle County

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Residents in Pitkin and Eagle counties have some new international neighbors, a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife reads. Fifteen wolves from British Columbia — eight females and seven males — were rounded up by helicopter and darted from the air, then placed in pens while veterinarians examined and treated the wolves for parasites, and vaccinated them against rabies, canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus and canine parvovirus. Along with the 15 wolves from British Columbia, the remaining members of the livestock-killing Copper Creek pack — a female and four pups — were released after being caught and penned at a wildlife sanctuary since last August.   “In British Columbia,...
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Q&A: Affordability is big priority for House Republican Leader Rose Pugliese
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Q&A: Affordability is big priority for House Republican Leader Rose Pugliese

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics With the 2025 session underway, Colorado Politics caught up with House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese on her priorities and expectations. The answers have been slightly edited. Colorado Politics: What is your top priority for this session? Rose Pugliese: My top priority is increasing affordability for Colorado families. Rising costs for housing, groceries, and childcare are placing immense financial pressure on hardworking families, and we must take action to address these challenges. By reducing taxes and fees and advancing policies that make everyday life more affordable, we can ensure that every family has the opportunity to thrive. Additionally, I remain committed to protecting children and families by advocating for policies t...
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State EDC OKs millions in incentives to ‘Project Boron’ semiconductor maker for plant upgrades
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Approved, gazette.com, State

State EDC OKs millions in incentives to ‘Project Boron’ semiconductor maker for plant upgrades

By Rich Laden and Bernadette Berdychowski | The Gazette A semiconductor manufacturer seeking to expand and modernize its Colorado Springs plant would be eligible for a $3.68 million cash award from the state under a financial incentive for the company approved Thursday by the Colorado Economic Development Commission. The company, whose identity was kept confidential by state officials and instead was assigned the code name Project Boron, had requested refundable tax credits that are available under the CHIPS Refundable Tax Credit program — created by Colorado lawmakers in 2023 as a means of encouraging the development and expansion of the state's semiconductor industry. In turn, the financial support provided by the state helps Colorado companies secure funding through the fe...
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Kansas looks on as farms retire thousands of acres in water-short Northeastern Colorado
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Kansas looks on as farms retire thousands of acres in water-short Northeastern Colorado

By Jerd Smith | The Colorado Sun Farm communities on the Eastern Plains, under the gun to deliver water to Kansas and Nebraska, are poised to permanently retire 17,000 acres of land, with the help of $30 million in state and federal funding. From Wray, to Yuma to Burlington, growers are being paid to permanently shut off irrigation wells linked to the Republican River to ensure the vital waterway can deliver enough water to neighbors to the east, as required under the Republican River Compact of 1943. As of this month, ranchers had already retired 10,000 acres under the program, and the rest will be set aside in coming months. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Chris Wright, the Coloradan who could be on cabinet, pledges to ‘unleash American energy’
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Chris Wright, the Coloradan who could be on cabinet, pledges to ‘unleash American energy’

By Scott Weiser | Denver Gazette Chris Wright, a Denver businessman and President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Energy secretary, told U.S. senators Wednesday that, if confirmed, he would use the position to “unleash American energy at home and abroad.” That message and others like it drew universal praise from the Republican members of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, setting him up for an easy confirmation, with Chairman Mike Lee, R-Utah, saying he hopes to have it wrapped up before the end of the month. Wright faced fairly straightforward questions during his confirmation hearing and he appeared to have secured bipartisan support. Once confirmed, Wright would be tasked with administering U.S. energy policy, maintaining and protecting the nation’s nuclear ...
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Rep. Dusty Johnson aims to tackle rural issues through her mantra: ‘cows, cops and coffee’
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Rep. Dusty Johnson aims to tackle rural issues through her mantra: ‘cows, cops and coffee’

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice State Rep. Dusty Johnson, who represents seven mostly sparsely populated counties on the Northeastern Plains of Colorado in House District 63, entered the 75th General Assembly ready to champion rural communities, agriculture and water rights. Representing the state's leading agricultural area, she understands constituents’ challenges firsthand and brings practical insights to the table. House District 63 spans Phillips, Sedgwick and Yuma counties at the eastern edge of the state, across Logan and Washington counties, to Morgan and into a rural portion of Weld County, making it the second-largest landmass district in the state. As Johnson puts it, “My district is the top ag-producing house district in the state.” Th...
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