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How Republican Senate leadership candidates stack up on earmarks
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Approved, denvergazette.com, National

How Republican Senate leadership candidates stack up on earmarks

By Samantha-Jo Roth | Washington Examiner The resurgence of earmarks has divided Republicans as Congress grapples with a looming partial government shutdown and the choice for new Senate leadership in the fall. As a second chunk of spending bills are expected to be revealed in the coming days to fund the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, State, and Homeland Security, Senate Republicans remain at odds over more earmarks, or community project funding, which direct federal dollars to specific “pet projects” in members’ home states and districts. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) have declared their candidacy for GOP leader after Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will step down after the 2024 electio...
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Report: Bill to end Colorado oil, gas permitting could be $2B tax revenue road to ruin
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Approved, State, The Center Square

Report: Bill to end Colorado oil, gas permitting could be $2B tax revenue road to ruin

By Joe Mueller | The Center Square  A bill to substantially restrict oil and gas permitting in Colorado would result in widespread financial and environmental impacts, according to a new report by a research group. The report, published by the Common Sense Institute, a free-enterprise think tank, says Senate Bill 24-159 would negatively impact the state’s economy as well as tax revenue at the state and local levels. The legislation also would result in increased emissions, according to the report, which referenced the recently published Colorado Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap 2.0 Report to support its point. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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Saying no to veto, Gov. Jared Polis signs bill exempting lawmakers from open meetings law
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Saying no to veto, Gov. Jared Polis signs bill exempting lawmakers from open meetings law

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Just hours after the bill reached his desk, Gov. Jared Polis signed into law a measure that would exempt lawmakers from the state's open meetings law, ultimately saying the matter deals with separations of powers between his office and the Colorado General Assembly.    The law is effective immediately.  In a signing statement, the governor said he accepted Senate Bill 24-157 to "provide clarity to the Legislature as it seeks to resolve ambiguities around their own conduct under the Colorado Open Meetings Law." Polis noted the bill applies only to the legislature, not the executive or judicial branches. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
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Colorado rental car fee hike would raise money for Front Range and mountain passenger rail systems
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado rental car fee hike would raise money for Front Range and mountain passenger rail systems

By Jesse Paul | Colorado Sun Colorado’s state-imposed rental car fee would increase by as much as $3 per day under a soon-to-be-introduced bill in the legislature aimed at attracting federal investment in proposed Front Range and mountain passenger train systems. The fee increase would generate an estimated $50 million in revenue annually, money that would be used as a match to secure federal grants. Lawmakers are specifically hoping for a share of the $66 billion Congress set aside in 2021 for rail development in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.  “We have a short window to pull down this federal infrastructure money,” said Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat and the lead sponsor of the forthcoming bill. “I really want to make sure Colorado...
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21st Judicial District slates open house for Juvenile Diversion, Lighthouse programs
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, Western Slope

21st Judicial District slates open house for Juvenile Diversion, Lighthouse programs

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff An open house has been announced for 2-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, during which time the public will be invited by the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office to tour new space of the Juvenile Diversion and Lighthouse Program at Colorado Mesa University, 1060 Orchard Ave. The open house will feature all elements of the program , the recent expansion and to meet the team. The two programs of the Juvenile Diversion and Lighthouse are aimed at preventing youth from entering the criminal justice system. “We invite everyone in our community to join us at the open house on March 20 to learn more about our initiatives and find ways to get involved with supporting our youth,” said 21st Judicial District Attorney Dan Rubinstein. “I also want to extend a huge ...
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Family Dollar had net sales loss of -1.2% in 4th quarter, leading to 970 stores set for closure
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Approved, National, Rocky Mountain Voice

Family Dollar had net sales loss of -1.2% in 4th quarter, leading to 970 stores set for closure

By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice Dollar Tree, Inc., [DLTR] dropped 15% in early trading Wednesday following news it would close nearly 1,000 stores, mostly within the lowest-performing Family Dollar franchise. The company’s fourth quarter earnings report, released Wednesday, indicates that while Dollar Tree had net sales of plus-6.3% the Family Dollar brand had losses of minus-1.2%.  “We finished the year strong, with fourth quarter results reflecting positive traffic trends, market share gains and adjusted margin improvement across both segments,” said Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling in a statement. “While we are still in the early stages of our transformation[al] journey, I am proud of what our team accomplished in 2023 and see a long runway of growth ahead of us.”...
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Colorado’s Circular Firing Squad on the 2nd Amendment
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, The Colorado Freedom Force

Colorado’s Circular Firing Squad on the 2nd Amendment

By The Colorado Freedom Force Whether the decided-upon strategy of the anti-2nd Amendment legislators in Colorado is “Throw everything up against the wall and see what sticks”, or just “divide and conquer”, their numerous attempts at whittling away at the 2nd Amendment can be hard to keep up with. From a straightforward “assault weapons” ban to imposing more fees or adding an 11% excise tax to guns and ammunition, Colorado’s Democrats have formed a circular firing squad around this fundamental right. You can learn about all seven active bills, use online forms to contact your representatives or read the entirety of a bill through the Colorado Freedom Force website. READ MORE ON THE BILLS AT COLORADO FREEDOM FORCE
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1,400 patients of a Western Slope clinic still struggle to find care a month after its abrupt closure
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Approved, The Colorado Sun, Western Slope

1,400 patients of a Western Slope clinic still struggle to find care a month after its abrupt closure

By Tatiana Flowers | Colorado Sun Former clients of a Delta-based clinic that shut down early last month are still looking for mental and physical health care on the rural Western Slope. Sixty people were referred to Axis Health System last month and one former client said she has found better health care options since Integrated Insight Community Care closed last month.  But some of the 1,400 other clients said they fear they’re facing a crisis, because there are too few mental and physical health care providers available in their area who take Medicaid, and can care for people with complex and specialized needs. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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6 important things to know about Denver’s migrant crisis
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Approved, Denver Metro, The Colorado Sun

6 important things to know about Denver’s migrant crisis

By Jennifer Brown | Colorado Sun Almost 40,000 migrants have come to Denver in the past 15 months, a number that’s become hard to comprehend.  “To put that in context, that’s Coors Field on a Saturday night in July when the Dodgers are in town,” said Jon Ewing, spokesman for Denver Human Services, during this week’s Colorado Sun virtual event on the migrant crisis. “You look to your left, you look to your right, up and down, and almost every seat is full. That’s the number of people that we’ve cared for over the last year.” Here’s what you should know about how Denver is handling all this and what’s in store longer term. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN https://youtu.be/EzQCnkeZkEk?si=mVooQJ7q54CYoo1V
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Bill to legally allow Colorado lawmakers to violate parts of open meeting laws, in place since 1972, heads to governor
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Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Bill to legally allow Colorado lawmakers to violate parts of open meeting laws, in place since 1972, heads to governor

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Despite a last-ditch effort by some House lawmakers on Monday, a bill that will exempt the Colorado General Assembly from following parts of the open meetings law established in 1972 is now in the hands of Gov. Jared Polis. What Polis thinks of the measure, which the House passed on a 39-22 vote, remains unknown. The state's 1972 Sunshine Law declares that it is a "matter of statewide concern and the policy of this state that the formation of public policy is public business and may not be conducted in secret.” But lawmakers at the state Capitol, who complain the law hinders their ability to have private conversations about public policy and bills, including through text or email with their colleagues, seek to rewrite the law. READ TH...
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