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Trump Signs Bill Cracking Down on Fentanyl Traffickers
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National, Approved, The Epoch Times

Trump Signs Bill Cracking Down on Fentanyl Traffickers

By Travis Gillmore | The Epoch Times The new law mandates 10-year minimum prison sentences for those convicted of trafficking at least 100 grams of deadly opioid-related substances. WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump signed the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act on Wednesday during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.  Also known as the HALT Fentanyl Act, the bill, which passed with bipartisan support, reclassifies substances related to the deadly opioid as Schedule 1 narcotics, the strictest designation established by the Controlled Substances Act.  Such drugs are deemed to have no acceptable medical value and are subject to the nation’s most punitive criminal penalties.  The bill also mandates 10-year minimum prison sentences for those con...
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Garbo: Sheriff Darren Weekly is the exception that proves the GOP’s problem
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Garbo: Sheriff Darren Weekly is the exception that proves the GOP’s problem

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In 2022, Darren Weekly wasn’t supposed to win. At least not according to the self-appointed gatekeepers of Republican purity in Douglas County. Branded a “RINO,” derided as “Tony 2.0,” and accused of being soft on Second Amendment rights due to the endorsement of outgoing Sheriff Tony Spurlock, Weekly was the target of aggressive intra-party attacks. The purist wing of the GOP put its full weight behind John Anderson, another outstanding, articulate, and Constitution-minded candidate whose campaign centered on resisting the Red Flag law and defending liberty.  I was among Anderson’s vocal supporters - endorsing, donating, campaigning, and even hosting events on his behalf. But Weekly won. By just over one percentag...
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El Paso County sheriff transfers 19 illegal immigrant offenders to ICE
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denvergazette.com, Approved, Local

El Paso County sheriff transfers 19 illegal immigrant offenders to ICE

By Aidan Hulting | Denver Gazette Nineteen people who the El Paso County Sheriff's Office says were in the country illegally, and have allegedly committed crimes in El Paso County, are now in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. This marks the second list the El Paso County Sheriff's Office has released this summer detailing its ongoing cooperation with ICE. “As part of our continued commitment to transparency, I am once again releasing a list of individuals and their associated criminal charges related to the safe and secure transfer of custody to our federal partners at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “We will continue to provide this information in a timely manner to demonstrate compliance with Colorad...
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Bailey: Violent crime up 30% in Colorado, 28% in the Springs—why?
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denvergazette.com, Approved, State

Bailey: Violent crime up 30% in Colorado, 28% in the Springs—why?

By Tatiana Bailey | Commentary, Denver Gazette There’s been a lot of attention in the media regarding rising crime within Colorado Springs. As someone who works closely with public data, I always try to avoid sensationalism and instead ask: What’s driving this, and how do we compare to the U.S. and other cities? When you look at U.S. trends overall and specific comparison cities, there are, indeed, some alarming trends. Crime rates in the U.S. between 2018 and 2024 are virtually identical. However, the state of Colorado and the city of Colorado Springs have both seen double-digit increases in the rate of violent crimes per 100,000 population. Both our state and region’s violent crime rate have increased by roughly 30% while the U.S. rate is relatively steady increasing 2...
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Garbo: America’s $16.4 billion wake-up call—the largest healthcare fraud in U.S. history
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Garbo: America’s $16.4 billion wake-up call—the largest healthcare fraud in U.S. history

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The United States has just witnessed the largest healthcare fraud takedown in its history. Over 324 individuals - including 96 licensed medical professionals - stand accused of orchestrating and profiting from a sprawling $16.4 billion scheme that defrauded Medicare, Medicaid, and the American taxpayer.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxp69sQDnlk This is not a bureaucratic misstep or clerical oversight. It is ideological rot - a moral collapse within a system trusted to care for the sick, the elderly, and the most vulnerable. Let’s begin with what is encouraging: this takedown required skill, intelligence, courage, and the mobilization of federal and state law enforcement at scale. Agents, prosecutors, analysts, an...
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Released, rearrested and now accused again: Roybal-Smith case ignites parole reform debate
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Top Stories, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Released, rearrested and now accused again: Roybal-Smith case ignites parole reform debate

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Denver Police arrested 38-year-old Ricky Lee Roybal-Smith early Monday morning, July 1, following the death of his cellmate at the Downtown Denver Detention Center. The alleged homicide came just hours after Roybal-Smith was jailed on unrelated charges—less than a day after two Aurora stabbings. Roybal-Smith’s criminal history spans nearly two decades and includes convictions for assault, felony menacing, DUI-related vehicular assault, and obtaining controlled substances by fraud. He’s also faced repeated parole violations and multiple arrests involving weapons. Despite this record, he was granted early release in 2023. Denver Police said deputies found an unresponsive man in a shared jail cell around 2:15 a.m. Monday. Off...
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Instructors, sheriffs warn: New concealed carry law causes confusion, long lines statewide
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DENVER7, Approved, State

Instructors, sheriffs warn: New concealed carry law causes confusion, long lines statewide

By Danielle Kreutter | Denver7 DENVER — New requirements to obtain a concealed carry permit in Colorado took effect on Tuesday. Under House Bill 24-1174, applicants must complete eight hours of in-person training and education on things like safe storage and handling of weapons. There is also now a live fire training requirement. One day into the new requirements, some Colorado sheriff's offices and concealed carry instructors are reporting struggles. "We follow the letter of the law. We do cover what is required under the state requirements," said Issac Chase, co-founder of Guns for Everyone, a Colorado-based company that offers free concealed carry courses. Chase told Denver7 they received an increase in people seeking permits in the months before the new require...
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Garbo: Immigration policy should serve America, not exploit it
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Garbo: Immigration policy should serve America, not exploit it

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Let’s set the record straight. Immigration is not a right. Not under the U.S. Constitution. Not under international law. Not by any moral, legal, or civil standard.  It is a privilege, and one granted by a sovereign nation to those who respect its laws, value its principles, and are willing to contribute to its future.  That privilege, once respected and coveted as one of the greatest honors in the world, is now under relentless attack - distorted by entitlement, corrupted by politics, and weaponized by those who seek to benefit without belonging. To understand this clearly, let’s use a comparison everyone can relate to: driving a car. The Driving Analogy Driving isn’t a right. It’s a regulated privilege. I...
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DiGirolamo: Undercover as a 13-year-old, an officer finds what parents fear most
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, National, Top Stories

DiGirolamo: Undercover as a 13-year-old, an officer finds what parents fear most

By John DiGirolamo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice You wouldn’t let your middle schooler wander the mall by herself, so why would you let her wander the Internet alone? If your child has online access, then every predator all over the world potentially can contact your kid.  Is this a risk that parents should be worried about? First, it’s important to understand why predators are on the Internet, online games and social media. Predators are after kids for several reasons: First, to obtain explicit material. Second, to extort someone for money and third, to meet for a sexual encounter.  Frequently, the predator may be seeking a combination of the three. Dawn Hawkins, CEO for National Center on Sexual Exploitation noted on X (formerly Twitter), “Child sexual ab...
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Critics warn Polis’ immigration law oversteps Constitution, ignores federal authority
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Approved, completecolorado.com, State

Critics warn Polis’ immigration law oversteps Constitution, ignores federal authority

By Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado DENVER—Despite repeated claims that Colorado is not a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigration, Gov. Jared Polis on May 23 signed a bill into law that both reinforces and expands Colorado’s existing protections for immigrants living in the country illegally. Senate Bill 25-276, Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status was a top priority for majority Democrats in the state legislature as they continue their attempt at isolating Colorado from the Trump administration’s deportation policies, with the bill picking up a remarkable 46 prime and co-sponsors on its way to passage. Expanded protections Colorado state law already limits interaction and information sharing between local and federal officers. However, SB 276 extends this measure to proh...
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