Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Inflation

Colorado Seniors Feel Heat as Xcel Seeks Double-Digit Rate Increase
DENVER7, Approved, State

Colorado Seniors Feel Heat as Xcel Seeks Double-Digit Rate Increase

By: Maggie Bryan | Denver7 Xcel Energy is proposing electric and gas rate increases that would raise the average customer's bill by about 10% as early as August. DENVER — Some Coloradans are facing tough decisions as they try to stay cool during this week's heat wave, especially those on fixed incomes. Jimmy Cano and his wife, who live in Aurora, received a free portable air conditioning unit Tuesday night thanks to local nonprofit Bright Leaf, an organization that provides food assistance and other resources for seniors in the City and County of Denver. "Usually right at this time, I would probably be sitting here dripping sweat," Cano said. He said the portable AC unit has been a game changer for them as their home does not have a central AC system. B...
Denver Inflation Climbs To 5% As Fuel Prices Drive Costs Higher
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Denver Inflation Climbs To 5% As Fuel Prices Drive Costs Higher

By Bernadette Berdychowski | The Denver Gazette The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area recorded a 5% rise in prices in the last year, according to federal data released Wednesday for the month of May from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest level seen since 2023.Denver is trending higher than the national annual average of 4.2%.Denver’s inflation was the second-highest among 12 metropolitan regions in the nation after Urban Hawaii in May, according to the BLS. The federal agency tracks inflation across 23 cities. Data from the three biggest cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — are released monthly. Meanwhile, the federal agency releases data from the rest of the cities like Denver every other month. A surge in prices following the pandemic pushed inflation t...
Families Struggle as Colorado Climbs to Third Most Expensive State
The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Families Struggle as Colorado Climbs to Third Most Expensive State

By Breeanna Jent | The Denver Gazette Think of Colorado and what comes to mind? Majestic mountain views; skiing, sledding, rafting, hiking and more in the Great Outdoors; alpine forests and golden plains; ample sunshine, craft beer and breathtaking sunsets. Just to scratch the surface. But the cost of living and housing affordability in Colorado has drastically increased in recent years, gradually diminishing or even pushing these simple joys out of reach for the average person. At the end of 2025 the Colorado Scorecard, a report released by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, found that while the state is improving or leading in key sectors such as business friendliness, health and wellness and gross domestic product, Colorado continues struggling with housi...
Colorado Drivers Feel Economic Squeeze As Gas Nears $4.50 Per Gallon
The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Drivers Feel Economic Squeeze As Gas Nears $4.50 Per Gallon

By Tamara Chuang | The Colorado Sun It’s even more painful for truckers and ride-sharing drivers. Many are contractors who are paying out of pocket to fuel up. Before Feb. 28, Kareem Sawadogo paid about $40 to fill up his tank. Now, it’s over $65, said Sawadogo, a driver for both Lyft and Uber. And if he’s driving full time, which is 40 to 60 hours a week, he must fill up daily. Combine the higher cost of gas with the rising prices of auto insurance and car maintenance, and it seems cheaper to just park his car.  “If you do the math, 30 times seven, that extra is a lot of money,” said Sawadogo, who’s taken on another job — organizing for the Colorado Independent Drivers United, which estimates there are 41,000 ridesharing drivers in the state. “I cannot a...
$100K Income Now Falls Into Lower Middle Class Bracket In Colorado
kdvr.com, Approved, State

$100K Income Now Falls Into Lower Middle Class Bracket In Colorado

By Alix Martichoux | KDVR (NEXSTAR) – A six-figure income used to be shorthand for “rich.” Now, it’s barely enough to get by in many parts of the country, including Colorado. And it’s not just California and New York where families are feeling the pinch. The rising cost of housing, childcare, groceries – and well, just about everything – has stretched households’ income further and further. Even big earners have found themselves living paycheck to paycheck. In a dozen states, a household income topping $100,000 isn’t considered particularly high. When compared to other earners, it’s actually considered “lower-middle class,” according to an analysis by MoneyLion. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT KDVR
U.S. Blockade Could Break Iran If Washington Holds The Line
The Federalist, Approved, Commentary, National

U.S. Blockade Could Break Iran If Washington Holds The Line

By Helen Raleigh | Commentary, The Federalist The U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is a significant escalation that carries considerable risks and rewards. This week, the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The action marks a significant escalation following the collapse of peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. While the move carries considerable risks, it also offers substantial potential rewards. The Strait of Hormuz, with Iran controlling its northern shore, has long been one of the world’s most critical energy arteries. Before the war, roughly 20 percent of global seaborne oil trade and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) passed through its narrow waters. Sin...
Local Farmers Battle Dry Conditions and Higher Costs Ahead of Market Openings
DENVER7, Approved, State

Local Farmers Battle Dry Conditions and Higher Costs Ahead of Market Openings

By Ethan Carlson | Denver7 Unseasonably warm weather and expensive water are forcing local farmers to adapt. LONGMONT, Colo. — Farmers markets are set to open across Colorado in the coming weeks, but local growers are facing a tough season marked by drought, rising fuel and fertilizer costs, and warm weather. The City Park Farmers Market starts Saturday, May 2, and the Lafayette Farmers Market opens Sunday, May 3. Shoppers may see a different selection of goods than usual for this time of year. Peter Wanberg, co-owner of the City Park and Lafayette Farmers Markets, noted that the weather has affected what crops are going to be available. “Normally, there’s a lot of greens and there’s not a huge amount of those really big harvest mid-seaso...
Greeley Plant Workers Head Back To Work Amid Ongoing Labor Dispute
DENVER7, Approved, Local

Greeley Plant Workers Head Back To Work Amid Ongoing Labor Dispute

By: The Associated Press | Denver7 Workers at the Greeley JBS meatpacking plant, one of the nation's largest, have agreed to return to work and halt a three-week strike after plant owner JBS USA agreed to resume negotiations, labor union representatives announced Saturday. The strike by thousands of workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant began on March 16 in coordination with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union in a bid for higher wages and better health care. The strike came as U.S. cattle numbers hit a 75-year-old low this year, a decline driven in part by drought and low prices offered to ranchers. Meanwhile, beef prices have soared to record levels, adding to economic anxiety in the U.S. The union said in a statement that workers will return to...
JBS Labor Dispute in Greeley Could Complicate Beef Markets Beyond Colorado
DENVER7, Approved, Local

JBS Labor Dispute in Greeley Could Complicate Beef Markets Beyond Colorado

By Jessica Porter | Denver7 The plant which processes up to 6,000 heads of cattle per day will impact the beef supply chain. GREELEY, Colo. — The impact of the JBS meatpacking plant strike on consumer beef prices is imperceptible in the short term, but the long-term impact is more complicated. About 3,800 workers at JBS Beef in Greeley walked off the job Monday as the union claimed the company retaliated against workers and committed unfair labor practices. The beef production facility processes between 5,000 and 6,000 head of cattle per day. “In the short term, the impact of the consumer level is probably pretty small, negligible, maybe not even present whatsoever, but if this continues, supply and demand will play out, and it's almost unavoi...
You can’t afford your government: The cost of Colorado’s “affordability” agenda
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

You can’t afford your government: The cost of Colorado’s “affordability” agenda

By Dave Kerber | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Here we go again. Another crisis has materialized demanding our immediate attention and action. In the 2024 elections, Democrats took to lamenting the unaffordability of stuff in America to sweep to victory. Absent in those campaigns were any suggestions as to exactly how to make things “affordable” nor was there any mention that it was the Democrats with their massive post-COVID, Inflation Reduction Act spending that crammed money into the economy causing the rapid increase in inflation and economic unhappiness. Trump initially responded that affordability was a hoax, that the price of gas was down, and that little girls only needed two dolls not thirty-four. After being mocked by those who caused the crisis, he ...

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