Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: State News

Tens of Thousands Still Without Power as Xcel Eyes Another Front Range Shutdown
CBS Colorado, Approved, State

Tens of Thousands Still Without Power as Xcel Eyes Another Front Range Shutdown

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado For just the second time in Colorado state history, Xcel Energy shut off power to thousands of people pre-emptively due to dangerous wind and fire conditions on Wednesday. At the height of the windstorm, 150,000 customers were without power.  More than 55,000 customers were still without power at midday on Thursday. There are delays in the power restoration process because Xcel crews are working with drones and helicopters to make sure there are no downed power lines in any areas where they are set to bring the lights back on. Xcel officials said they are also evaluating the need for a second public safety power shutoff this week -- starting at 5 a.m. Friday, when wind speeds are expected to reach hurricane or near-hur...
Government shutdown strains DIA operations and staffing
The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Government shutdown strains DIA operations and staffing

By  Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette The shutdown of the federal government has begun to palpably affect the country’s airports, including at Denver International Airport, which is seeing staffing shortages, according to officials. By Monday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration was reporting that staffing shortages were creating delays at DIA, as well as airports in California and New Jersey. Denver International Airport officials anticipate that more than 938,000 passengers will travel through airport checkpoints between Oct. 9 and Oct. 20, a 5.5% increase over the same time period in 2024. Lawmakers, meanwhile, continue to disagree on funding the federal government, forcing air traffic controllers and other essential federal employees to work without pay. More ...
Denver’s Cost of Comfort: $130k Needed Just to Get By
Fox31, Approved, Local

Denver’s Cost of Comfort: $130k Needed Just to Get By

By Brooke Williams | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — Two Colorado cities are among the most expensive big cities in the U.S. to live comfortably in, a recent study found. Finance website GOBankingRates analyzed the country’s 50 largest cities to determine how much it would cost to live in each comfortably based on data points like home values, incomes and cost of living.4 Colorado towns listed among best small cities in US: Report The study calculated the income for necessities and applied the 50/30/20 budget rule, doubling the cost of necessities for a lifestyle that can include saving and discretionary spending. The Mile High City ranked as the No. 12 most expensive large city to live comfortably in. Meanwhile down south, Colorado Springs ranked at No. 20 12. Denver To...
Colorado River faces new threat as zebra mussels take hold
Fox31, Approved, State

Colorado River faces new threat as zebra mussels take hold

By: Spencer Kristensen | FOX31 KDVR DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife officially declared a portion of the Colorado River as “infested” with invasive zebra mussels after sampling detected adult zebra mussels in the river and another nearby lake in Grand Junction, CPW announced in a press release on Monday afternoon. “While this is news we never wanted to hear, we knew this was a possibility since we began finding veligers in the river,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis in the press release. “I can’t reiterate this enough. It was because we have a group of individuals dedicated to protecting Colorado’s water resources that these detections were made.” On Aug. 28, the Aquatic Animal Health Lab suspected veligers, the microscopic larval stage of zebra mussels, were collected fr...
Colorado Liberal Coalition Seeks To Unwind TABOR With Graduated Income Tax Plan
State, Approved, The Colorado Sun

Colorado Liberal Coalition Seeks To Unwind TABOR With Graduated Income Tax Plan

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun The plan would increase income taxes on people earning at least $506,000 in annual taxable income to raise more than $2 billion each year for things like health care, education and public safety. People earning less would get a tax cut. A group of liberal advocacy groups is pursuing a 2026 ballot measure that would change the state constitution to enact a graduated income tax rate in Colorado and raise more than $2 billion each year for services like health care, education and public safety. The plan would increase income taxes on people earning at least $506,000 in annual taxable income. The proposal would lower the income taxes on people earning less, who represent the vast majority of Colorado taxpayers. The changes would also apply to busine...
Sheriff’s Deputy Resigns Amid Colorado Law Enforcement Debate
Colorado Public Radio, Approved, Local

Sheriff’s Deputy Resigns Amid Colorado Law Enforcement Debate

By: Tom Hesse | Colorado Public Radio The Mesa County Sheriff’s Deputy who tipped off federal immigration officials about a college student’s immigration status has resigned. Alexander Zwinck had been placed on unpaid leave by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office for violating state law that limits what information local law enforcement can share with immigration officials. Zwinck pulled over 19-year-old Caroline Dias Goncalves in June for following a semi-truck too closely. During the stop, Zwinck alerted federal officials of her immigration status via a Signal chat intended for drug interdiction cases called “GJ Highway Hitters.” Dias Goncalves was born in Brazil. After Zwinck let her leave with a warning, she was stopped later down the road by federal agents. She was detained for t...
Denver Public Schools Faces Federal Sanctions Over Inclusive Restroom Policy
Local, Approved, DENVER7

Denver Public Schools Faces Federal Sanctions Over Inclusive Restroom Policy

By: Óscar Contreras | Denver7 The Department of Education found Denver Public Schools violated Title IX by converting a girl’s restroom into an all-gender facility earlier this year. DENVER — Trump’s Department of Education ordered Denver Public Schools to revert all-gender restrooms to single-sex facilities or risk “enforcement action” after finding it discriminated against girls by creating all-gender bathrooms at East High School earlier this year. The investigation, launched by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in January of this year, also took issue with a district-wide policy that allows students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. By converting a girl’s restroom to a gender-neutral facility and allowing students to use bathro...
Smoke and ash drive Colorado’s animals to the edge of survival
Summit Daily, Approved, State

Smoke and ash drive Colorado’s animals to the edge of survival

By Allisyn Capel | Summit Daily With wildfires raging across Colorado amid extreme drought conditions, the state's inhabitants -- human and wildlife alike -- are bracing for impacts. On Friday, Aug. 22, around 207,500 acres were burning across the state in 17 fires. The vast majority of this acreage is attributed to nine large fires on the Western Slope. "Wildfires can have significant negative impacts to the landscape, wildlife and homes," said Brad Banuli, Colorado Parks and Wildlife's northwest region senior terrestrial biologist. In the last month, wildfires have prompted Parks and Wildlife to evacuate hundreds of native trout from the Stoner Mesa Fire in the San Juan Mountains, monitor a variety of wildlife species and habitats, and alter fall hunts for certain bear, elk and ...
Budget Gaps Lead to Layoff Notices for Denver Employees
Local, Approved, kdvr.com

Budget Gaps Lead to Layoff Notices for Denver Employees

By Kim Posey | KDVR Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — After weeks of uncertainty, Denver employees are now finding out if they will be laid off. Mayor Mike Johnston’s office said impacted employees would be notified Monday and Tuesday. The mayor’s office announced Monday that the city is eliminating 928 positions out of about 11,000, in an effort to deal with a $200 million budget shortfall. But only 171 of those are layoffs, as another 645 are vacant positions that won’t be filled, and 92 are positions that will be transferred to alternate funding sources. Alvin Tafoya, the former deputy director of the Financial Empowerment Division, says he was one of the workers laid off. Tafoya said his department was told to work from home today, and he was let go during a virtual meeting at 9 a.m. ...
New numbers show Colorado’s gun culture remains strong
Cool 107.9 FM, Approved, State

New numbers show Colorado’s gun culture remains strong

By Nate Wilde | COOL 107.9 FM How Many of Colorado's Residents Are Gun Owners? Despite all of the factors that contribute to the aforementioned 45.1% of Colorado households being home to guns, every one of the states that border the Centennial State has reported higher rates of gun ownership. Nebraska barely leads Colorado in gun ownership, with a rate of 45.2%, while New Mexico reports a gun ownership rate of 46.2%, Arizona reports a gun ownership rate of 46.3%, and Utah reports another comparable gun ownership rate of 46.8% The percentage of households that claim to be gun owners rises when we get to Kansas, a state that reports a 48.9% gun ownership rate, but two of Colorado's neighboring states rank much higher than the rest. These states are Oklahoma and ...

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