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Avalanche fall 2-1 in double OT, as Dallas Stars advance in Stanley Cup Playoffs
Approved, ColoradoAvalanche.com

Avalanche fall 2-1 in double OT, as Dallas Stars advance in Stanley Cup Playoffs

By Coby Maeir | ColoradoAvalanche.com The Dallas Stars eliminated the Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 double-overtime win in Game Six on Friday to win the playoff series 4-2. Mikko Rantanen scored for Colorado while Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene scored for Dallas. Alexandar Georgiev made 37 saves, including 23 in the third and overtime periods. Rantanen opened the scoring at 5:48 of the second period with his fourth goal of the playoffs, when he fired a top-shelf shot from the right doorstep past Jake Oettinger on the power play thanks to assists from Jonathan Drouin and Cale Makar. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADOAVALANCHE.COM Postgame - Bednar (May 17) | Colorado Avalanche (nhl.com)
Dow surges to first close above 40,000 as stocks continue to climb in value
Approved, National, The Street

Dow surges to first close above 40,000 as stocks continue to climb in value

By Charley Blaine | The Street It took literally all of Friday's trading session, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit its first close above 40,000.  The blue-chip average finished at 40,000.59, up 132 points, or 0.34% right at the 4 p.m. ET close. The index had hit an intraday high of 40,051.05 on Thursday before dropping back to 39,865.  The Dow's performance was the day's best among the major averages. The S&P 500 was up 6 points, or 0.1%, to 5,303. The Nasdaq Composite was down 12 points, or 0.1%, to 16,685.97.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE STREET
Only 3 state legislators get ‘A’ grade on ’24 Liberty Scorecard, 87% of legislators fail the test
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Only 3 state legislators get ‘A’ grade on ’24 Liberty Scorecard, 87% of legislators fail the test

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Three percent of all state legislators graded an A and 87% of legislators had a failing grade in the Liberty Scorecard Colorado ratings released Friday following the close of the 74th General Assembly. The annual study found the three lawmakers most strongly adhering to the principles of the U.S. Constitution through their legislation and votes are the same from last session, with a different order. Rep. Ken DeGraff, an El Paso County Republican ranked second last session, earned an A-grade and topped the list with a score of 95 this session. Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Freemont County Republican who was rated first last year, was rated third this session with an A grade and 92-point score. Ranking second was Rep. Scott Bottoms, an El Paso County ...
The state’s largest utility will file a new wildfire mitigation plan next month. What might that look like?
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

The state’s largest utility will file a new wildfire mitigation plan next month. What might that look like?

By Mark Jaffe | The Colorado Sun An inquiry by state regulators into Xcel Energy’s April “public safety” electricity outage — which created chaos in parts of the Front Range — has yielded a list of potential steps utilities and communities might take to limit future problems. Faced with high winds April 6, Xcel Energy, the state’s largest electricity provider, preemptively shut down parts of its electric grid to reduce wildfire risk. The shut-offs lasted through April 7. Local emergency management officials complained there was inadequate notice of the shut-offs and in Boulder County the wastewater treatment plant was close to dumping raw sewage into Boulder Creek before power was restored. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Residents warned of black bear visiting historic downtown Golden
Approved, Local, Out There Colorado

Residents warned of black bear visiting historic downtown Golden

By Spencer McKee | Out There Colorado The Golden Police Department is warning residents about a bear that's been frequenting the historic downtown area of the city in recent days. At the time of a May 14 announcement, the bear had been spotted in the area over the past two days, with an image included of the bear sitting in a tree. The bear appears to be between one and two years old and hasn't shown any signs of aggression toward people or pets. READ THE FULL STORY AT OUT THERE COLORADO
Monument has spent more than $100,000 in taxpayer funds in ‘political’ legal battle
Approved, KRDO.COM, Local

Monument has spent more than $100,000 in taxpayer funds in ‘political’ legal battle

By Quinn Ritzdorf | KRDO.com A legal battle between the Monument mayor and a private attorney has cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars and it's still not over. More than 17 months after Monument Mayor Mitch LaKind filed a state complaint against private attorney Grant Van Der Jagt, the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel said the complaint is still pending. “I think the town needs to know how our money is being spent,” LaKind said. “Being that we have spent over $100,000 in legal fees on top of the $25,000 that was paid via the (legal) engagement, the town people have a right to know what this attorney and his law firm and those that supported his engagement cost.” READ THE FULL STORY AT KRDO.COM
Wolf advocates charged with illegal lobbying of lawmakers at state capitol
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Wolf advocates charged with illegal lobbying of lawmakers at state capitol

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The state's election office on Monday began proceedings against an advocate for wolves in Colorado over allegations of illegally lobbying during the 2024 session at the state Capitol.  Initially, a second individual was also accused of illegal lobbying, but that complaint has been dismissed. The complaints, filed in March by John Williams, who operates Colorado Wolf Tracker, claimed Stephen Capra and his organization, Bold Visions Conservation, lobbied multiple legislators on behalf of a paying client, all without registering and without disclosing the client’s identity as required by law.  READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Podcast delves into the legacy of D-Day to commemorate 80th anniversary
Approved, National, Stars & Stripes

Podcast delves into the legacy of D-Day to commemorate 80th anniversary

By Stars & Stripes As the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaches, a World War II Foundation podcast is taking a look at the invasion of Normandy. The special episodes of “Front to the Films” feature host retired Army Col. Tom Rendall, as well as guests Keith Nightingale and Joey Ivanov, discussing D-Day, its aftermath and the ongoing impact of the military operation. The first episode centers on Operation Overlord, the Allied effort to drive German forces out of occupied parts of Western Europe. READ THE FULL STORYAND LISTEN TO THE PODCAST AT STARS & STRIPES
Biden DHS claims the privacy of illegals on terror watchlist overrides the rights of Americans
Approved, National, TownHall.com

Biden DHS claims the privacy of illegals on terror watchlist overrides the rights of Americans

By Sarah Arnold | TownHall.com Since President Joe Biden took office more than four years ago, the United States has become a dangerous place for Americans compared to former President Donald Trump’s term.  With Biden’s southern border remaining wide open, millions of illegal immigrants have poured into the country— with many being criminals and posing safety risks to American communities.  According to recent data released by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the number of suspected terrorists who have illegally entered the U.S. is up over 2,500 percent since the Trump Administration.  READ THE FULL STORY AT TOWNHALL.COM
What is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and how does it benefit business owners?
Approved, National, The Street

What is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and how does it benefit business owners?

By The Street (via TurboTax) The work opportunity tax credit (WOTC) rewards businesses that hire workers from certain targeted groups who might otherwise be overlooked in the job market. Businesses of any size can claim the credit for as many eligible workers they employ. The credit amount depends on several factors, including the eligible employee’s targeted group, wages, and number of hours worked. There’s also a maximum credit amount per employee, which runs from $1,200 to $9,600, depending on the employee's targeted group and length of employment. The WOTC is a nonrefundable federal tax credit. As a result, it can reduce your tax bill to $0, but it won’t trigger a tax refund if the credit amount is greater than your tax liability before the credit is applied. READ THE FULL ...