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Colorado must stop pushing unfunded laws on local governments, lawmakers say
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The Daily Sentinel, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado must stop pushing unfunded laws on local governments, lawmakers say

By Rick Taggart, Janice Rich and Matt Soper | Commentary, The Daily Sentinel When lawmakers pass a new bill, there’s one question we should all ask before we vote: Who’s going to pay for it? Too often, that question goes unanswered. Across Colorado, local governments are being asked to carry out new state laws — on everything from wildfire codes to building standards — without the funding to make them possible. These are called unfunded mandates, and they’ve quietly become one of the biggest threats to local budgets and the essential services people depend on. In Mesa County alone, these mandates now cost nearly $10 million each year. Statewide, the total is estimated at more than $360 million — money that could otherwise fund deputies, road repairs, or mental health programs. Ins...
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Peters Claims First Amendment Rights Violated in Bond Denial
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State, Approved, The Daily Sentinel

Peters Claims First Amendment Rights Violated in Bond Denial

By Sam Klomhaus | The Daily Sentinel Attorneys for former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters argued in a briefing filed Tuesday that Peters’ has been prosecuted in violation of her First Amendment right, and that a federal court is allowed to grant her request for bail pending appeal. The filing asks for Peters to be released from custody. She is serving a nine-year sentence at the La Vista Correctional Facility in Pueblo. Peters was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, one count of official misconduct and one count of failure to comply with the secretary of state, and sentenced to nine years of incarceration in October 2024 after she was accused of allowing an unauthorized person to enter a sec...
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VanWinkle Ranch Vows to Rebuild and Stay Put After Wildfire
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Local, Approved, The Daily Sentinel

VanWinkle Ranch Vows to Rebuild and Stay Put After Wildfire

By Jace DiCola | The Daily Sentinel Less than two weeks ago, Colorado Politics reported that the VanWinkle family, known for their local cattle ranch and statewide agricultural advocacy, was considering selling their operation. VanWinkle Ranch co-owner Janie Van-Winkle told The Daily Sentinel this week that a full exit from the industry was never a consideration. Rather, the family was considering a move to more “ag-friendly” states, like Kansas or Nebraska. Then, the Turner Gulch Fire sparked. Just a few days after, it spread onto nearly half of the VanWinkle’s land leased through the U.S. Forest Service — a 39,000-acre parcel the family has cared for since Van-Winkle’s great-grandfather.“ The fire has made us realize that we need to be here, and we need to be a part of puttin...
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USGS confirms massive gas reserves under federal land in western Colorado
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The Daily Sentinel, Approved, Local

USGS confirms massive gas reserves under federal land in western Colorado

By Dennis Webb | The Daily Sentinel A new U.S. Geological Survey national report points to the large amount of estimated undiscovered natural gas lying below federal lands in western Colorado, and two recent assessments zero in on newly estimated undiscovered oil and gas in a region including parts of northwest Colorado. The USGS recently released a report on undiscovered oil and gas resources in formations under federally managed public lands. It estimated that nationally there are technically recoverable resources of 29.4 billion barrels of oil and 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas. That’s enough oil to supply all of the country’s needs for four years at the current rate of consumption, and enough gas to meet national needs for 12 years. However, the report doesn’t take into acco...
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Newly elected Grand Junction Councilman: Voters didn’t ask for bike lanes—they asked for essential services
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Approved, Local, The Daily Sentinel

Newly elected Grand Junction Councilman: Voters didn’t ask for bike lanes—they asked for essential services

By Sam Klomhaus | The Daily Sentinel Newly elected Grand Junction City Council member Robert Ballard wants to address changes on Fourth and Fifth streets and be a voice for outlying Grand Junction neighborhoods during his time on council. “Day one is we’re definitely going to be addressing Fourth and Fifth street,” Ballard said during an interview last week. “At least I’m going to be, I don’t know about the rest of the council, but that’s definitely going to be my main focus.” Ballard, who lives in Orchard Mesa and works at Alpine Bank, said a lot of people during the election have been asking for a pilot study on proposed changes to the roadway on Fourth and Fifth streets from Pitkin Avenue to North Avenue to be reversed. “We’re going to address that right out the gate, that’s...
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Linnebur: Rural Colorado’s energy boom isn’t luck—it’s leadership
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Approved, State, The Daily Sentinel

Linnebur: Rural Colorado’s energy boom isn’t luck—it’s leadership

By Tyler Linnebur and Evan Underwood | Commentary, The Daily Sentinel Rural Colorado is experiencing a surge in economic growth thanks to smart federal policy and local energy leadership. Federal energy tax credits, combined with Colorado’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, are revitalizing rural communities by creating diverse, durable jobs and attracting new investment. By supporting both traditional and renewable energy sources, Colorado is proving that a balanced approach delivers real results where they’re needed most. Energy legislation over the past few years reinforced efforts to boost clean energy production and manufacturing across the country. These programs support technologies ranging from solar and wind to energy storage, electric vehicles, and advanced manufacturing. B...
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