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Buying American is about more than the price tag
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Buying American is about more than the price tag

By Karen Post | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice This year, our country turns 250. Anniversaries are not just markers of time — they are moments of reflection. What kind of America do we want to be for the next 250 years? My answer is simple: one that invests in its own prosperity. I am a 65-year-old serial entrepreneur who recently secured a license with America250 and Freedom250, to produce a line of American Prosperity Keepsakes. The prosperity pillow is our hero product. The concept of prosperity pillows isn’t new. They’ve existed in cultures for thousands of years, often tied to symbols of luck and fortune. My version is different — distinctly American.  This pillow is not about luck. It is about grit, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of the American D...
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Xcel Customers Face Largest Electric Rate Hike In Colorado History
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Xcel Customers Face Largest Electric Rate Hike In Colorado History

By Mark Jaffe | The Colorado Sun The $225 million increase would raise the average residential bill by $6.13, but the proposed rate needs PUC approval and consumer advocates oppose it. Xcel Energy, its corporate customers and unions are at odds with consumer advocates over a proposed settlement that would grant the utility the largest electric rate increase ever — $225 million. The proposed agreement between Xcel Energy and parties including the Colorado Public Utilities Commission staff, the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers, Walmart and Climax Molybdenum would raise the average household bill by $6.13 to $110.81 a month — a nearly 6% increase. Colorado Energy Consumers, which represents large industrial and commercial customers, also signed on to...
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America’s Next Top Entrepreneur: The Patriot Pitch Competition
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Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

America’s Next Top Entrepreneur: The Patriot Pitch Competition

By Justin D. Everett | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Since the founding of our nation, American innovation has transformed lives by turning bold ideas into reality. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, this legacy is accelerating—driven by policies that prioritize American ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit. This spirit is embodied by the Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition, a national initiative led by the U.S. Small Business Administration to spotlight and support the businesses propelling America forward. With a $1 million prize pool—made possible by a generous contribution from Clover Network, Inc.—the competition celebrates entrepreneurs who exemplify American ingenuity by solving problems, building businesses, and creating jobs. Eligible small ...
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Polis Pushes Back As Employers Cite Rising Challenges In Colorado Economy
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Polis Pushes Back As Employers Cite Rising Challenges In Colorado Economy

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics How does Colorado get back to the climate in the early 2000s, when there was collaboration between state government, companies and colleges and universities? That was the question posed to Gov. Jared Polis and a panel convened Tuesday by the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce as part of its annual state of the state luncheon that follows the end of the legislative session. Mowa Haile, the CEO of Sky Blue Builders who chairs the chamber board, noted that, in the last year, the state has gained more than $2 billion in capital investment, along with 1,000 jobs. Colorado is still an amazing state, he said. “But we see cracks,” Haile said. Several issues today make Colorado less competitive for businesses, he said,...
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Colorado Businesses Could Catch Break On Credit Card Swipe Fees
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Businesses Could Catch Break On Credit Card Swipe Fees

By Rae Solomon | The Colorado Sun Bill to exempt sales taxes from swipe fees heads to Gov. Jared Polis as industry warns of legal fights and consumer impacts. A proposal to reduce credit card swipe fees has whipped up a frothy, multi-million-dollar lobbying fight at the State Capitol this year, pitting the banking industry against retailers, restaurants, and other businesses. It passed the legislature Wednesday and now heads to the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 134 concerns the interchange fees, or swipe fees, that merchants pay to the banks every time a customer pays with a credit card. Currently, those fees are calculated as a percentage of the total charge, sales tax and all. The proposal, which passed the House on a 44-20 vote, would remove sales taxes from t...
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Colorado Drivers Feel Economic Squeeze As Gas Nears $4.50 Per Gallon
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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...
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Colorado loses businesses at one of nation’s highest rates, new report finds
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Colorado loses businesses at one of nation’s highest rates, new report finds

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado residents have spent years watching prices climb while business groups warn that operating in the state is becoming harder. A new report adds another layer of data to those concerns. Colorado ranked near the bottom nationally for net business establishment growth in 2024 and recorded the nation’s worst employment losses tied to business openings and closures, according to a new analysis from the Common Sense Institute. While most states added businesses and jobs last year, Colorado was one of only six states to lose ground in both categories, joining Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington. Researchers pointed to high business costs and weakening confidence in Colorado’s economic outlook as growing warni...
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National Small Business Week: Signs of Rising Optimism in Colorado
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

National Small Business Week: Signs of Rising Optimism in Colorado

By Justin D. Everett | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice This National Small Business Week, May 3-9, we’re not just celebrating America’s entrepreneurs – we’re seeing the results of policies that are putting them back in the driver’s seat. Across Colorado and the country, small businesses are growing, hiring, and investing again – and they have the confidence to do it. That didn’t happen by accident. Under President Donald J. Trump’s leadership, we’ve ushered in a new era of economic strength focused on Main Street – making the Working Families Tax Cuts permanent, rolling back burdensome regulations, and restoring the conditions small businesses need to succeed; and the results are clear. Last year alone, the U.S. Small Business Administration delivered a record $45 billion i...
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Polis Signs Letter Criticizing Colorado Business Climate Critics Say He Created
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Complete Colorado, Approved, State

Polis Signs Letter Criticizing Colorado Business Climate Critics Say He Created

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado DENVER – An open letter expressing concern over the number of businesses leaving Colorado and the inability of the state to attract others was recently sent to numerous Colorado elected officials. The several hundred business, technology, and civic leaders who signed the letter are asking for consideration in easing the regulatory burden that they say is the driving factor behind Colorado’s “deteriorating” foundation. That same letter was both sent to and signed by Gov. Jared Polis, the irony of which is not lost on State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer (R-Brighton) who points out that Polis is the man behind the pen that has caused much of the trouble the letter outlines. “Basically, he’s a hypocrite,” Kirkmeyer told Complete Colorado. “Th...
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Colorado Farmers Light 100 Fires To Defend Orchards From Sudden Freeze
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Colorado Farmers Light 100 Fires To Defend Orchards From Sudden Freeze

By Christa Swanson | CBS Colorado A cold snap moved through Colorado on Friday, bringing snow and freezing temperatures to areas where many spring plants are already in bloom. That led a business on the Western Slope to get creative in order to save its orchards. The Sanders family opened the Palisade Peach Shack 17 years ago and has seen the farm grow from 8 to over 80 acres, but they say that this year's warm weather, coupled with the sudden freeze, nearly spelled disaster. Owner James Sanders told CBS Colorado that they have never had a freeze when the fruit is in this stage of growth. At the moment, the fruit is at the stage they would normally see in the middle of May, with peaches the size of thumbs and hardened seeds. Sanders says this could ...
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