Mesa County

“Aptitude test for your rights?” Mesa County pushes back on SB3 in letter to the DOJ

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, National, State, Top Stories / / , , , , , , , , ,

Would you need a perfect GPA to speak your mind or worship freely? Mesa County officials say Colorado’s new gun law is treating the Second Amendment that way – and they’ve asked the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene.

In a three-page letter sent this month, the Mesa County Board of Commissioners urged federal authorities to investigate Senate Bill 25-003, calling it a “grotesque misuse of government power” that effectively imposes a discriminatory test on anyone wishing to lawfully own or carry a firearm.

The law, which takes effect in August 2026, requires residents to complete state-approved firearms training, score 90% on a written exam and obtain conditional approval from their sheriff’s office every five years in order to receive or renew a permit.

“Aptitude test for your rights?” Mesa County pushes back on SB3 in letter to the DOJ Read More »

“They didn’t think I had it”: Tina Peters on evidence, betrayal and faith behind bars

Top Stories, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State / / , , , , , , , , ,

In a jailhouse visit marked by resilience, revelation and restrained emotion, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters offered a window into the chapter of her life that has largely unfolded behind bars. 

For two-and-a-half hours on May 18, we sat across from each other in a controlled visitation room. No pens or paper were allowed, so what follows is drawn from a memory still sharp with immediacy, and a recorded voice memo I made in my truck just moments after we said goodbye.

Peters wore standard prison-issued clothing and a DOC patch with her name and inmate number sewn on. I bought her a cappuccino from the vending machine and a Butterfinger, which I had to unwrap and place on a paper plate before handing it to her across the table. She smiled and said it was a rare treat – something she doesn’t get to experience very often.

“They didn’t think I had it”: Tina Peters on evidence, betrayal and faith behind bars Read More »

Mail carrier admits to ballot theft, voter fraud in Mesa County election case

Trending Politics, Approved, Local / / , , , ,

A Colorado U.S. postal worker has pleaded guilty to trying to rig the 2024 election, according to prosecutors who announced they reached a deal that may involve prison time.

The absurd case involved Vicki Stuart, a 64-year-old former employee of the U.S. Postal Service who on Monday admitted to forgery and identify theft in an attempt to steal ballots and cast votes in the names of other Americans during the 2024 election.

Stuart had been charged with 34 counts in connection with her ballot theft scheme, according to Colorado Public Radio. She and another woman in Mesa County allegedly stole dozens of mail-in ballots as they passed through her truck, opening and filling them out for their preferred candidate rather than delivering them to their intended recipients.

Mail carrier admits to ballot theft, voter fraud in Mesa County election case Read More »

District 51’s master plan delivers first wins with taxpayer-focused school upgrades

The Business Times, Approved, Local / / , , , , , , ,

Mesa County Valley School District 51 continues to advance its 25-year Facility Master Plan, a comprehensive roadmap initiated in 2023 to address the district’s long-term infrastructure needs.

At the Grand Junction Economic Summit on April 25, District 51 Superintendent Brian Hill discussed the district’s success in developing the facility master plan as a way to communicate with the community, provide updates on capital funding needs and establish a consistent approach to securing and responsibly utilizing funding for the projects.

District 51’s master plan delivers first wins with taxpayer-focused school upgrades Read More »

American Rights Alliance files amicus brief, backs Tina Peters’ habeas petition over political targeting

yourNEWS, Approved, Local, National, State / / , , , , , , , , ,

Denver, CO — Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters is seeking release from detention through a federal habeas corpus petition, alleging that her prosecution and incarceration violate federal law and her constitutional rights. The case, Tina Peters v. John Feyen and Philip J. Weiser, Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-00425-STV, is currently before U.S. District Court Judge Scott T. Varholak in the District of Colorado.

Peters, convicted at the state level for actions taken while serving as the chief election official for Mesa County during the 2020 election, is now challenging the legitimacy of her prosecution. Her legal team argues that her actions were not only lawful but mandated by her duties under federal law to preserve election records.

American Rights Alliance files amicus brief, backs Tina Peters’ habeas petition over political targeting Read More »

Walcher: We built it, and they still won’t come

GregWalcher.com, Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice / / , , , , ,

Building a new subdivision is complicated. Almost every city and county in America have master plans dictating “conforming uses” of land. Most specify lot and home sizes, rules for vehicle access, water supply, sewage disposal, flood control, affordable housing, and park space. Those are addressed in lengthy application processes and public hearings, all preceding building the infrastructure, and then the homes.

The National Association of Home Builders says government regulations account for 24 percent of the final price of new homes. Sixty percent of that comes during planning and development, only 40 percent during actual construction.

Walcher: We built it, and they still won’t come Read More »

Colorado law limits what voters can verify—and critics say that needs to change

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, National, State, Top Stories / / , , , , , , , , ,

Mesa County’s Ballot Verifier tool has been praised for giving residents unprecedented access to redacted ballot images and cast vote records. But for some longtime election integrity advocates, it’s only part of the solution.

“This is a great step forward,” said Ed Arnos, a Mesa County resident and former lottery systems designer. “But it doesn’t verify the most important part—how the ballots were actually read.”

Colorado law limits what voters can verify—and critics say that needs to change Read More »

Mesa County launches Ballot Verifier, giving voters unprecedented access to ballots

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, Top Stories / / , , , ,

Mesa County launched a first-of-its-kind ballot transparency tool last month, allowing residents to view redacted ballot images and corresponding cast vote records online—without filing a CORA request. Supporters say it could reshape public trust in elections. Others say it doesn’t go far enough.

But one thing is certain: Mesa County is at the heart of a national battle over election integrity, and the Ballot Verifier came to fruition out of demand — and the innovation of an election stats company that wanted to answer to it.

Mesa County launches Ballot Verifier, giving voters unprecedented access to ballots Read More »

Rep. Crank’s BLOC Act gains Mesa County’s support: “Align federal funds with public safety”

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, Top Stories / / , , , , , ,

Mesa County commissioners want federal dollars tied to immigration enforcement—and they’re backing Rep. Jeff Crank’s bill to make it happen.

During their April 15 administrative hearing, the Mesa County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a letter backing a federal immigration bill that would strip transportation funding from sanctuary jurisdictions that fail to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Rep. Crank’s BLOC Act gains Mesa County’s support: “Align federal funds with public safety” Read More »