Rocky Mountain Voice

Rocky Mountain Voice

Daniel: Eventually, you run out of other people’s money
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Daniel: Eventually, you run out of other people’s money

By Bobbie Daniel, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado, long admired for its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant outdoor culture, and once-thriving economy, finds itself at a crossroads. Rising living costs, unaffordable housing, stagnant wages and increasing business closures are eroding the state’s appeal. A state once a beacon of opportunity is now grappling with mounting challenges that jeopardize its economic vitality. Recent data highlights the gravity of the situation. According to the Common Sense Institute (2023), Colorado’s net population growth was a mere 7,236 people, ranking 16th nationally —- a stark contrast to its historic reputation as a magnet for newcomers. The University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business reported a troubling 22% drop in new business fili...
Madison: Efficiency in government, an oxymoron!
Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice

Madison: Efficiency in government, an oxymoron!

By John Alexander Madison | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice A U.S. senator, Chris Coons (D-DE), said again he is “amused” that it will take two billionaires to oversee President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency! (D.O.G.E) He is amused that it would take two people to run this new department. But the average American patriot is hardly laughing that it takes $200 billion and 4,400 federal employees to run a useless and inefficient Department of Education. If you ask me, I’d suggest hiring two well-paid people every time we can eliminate 4,400 federal employees from our ever-expanding and bloated federal bureaucracy…one agency or department after another. The fact is these two billionaires won’t be drawing a salary from our federal taxpayer dollars…...
Gaines: You can make a difference by volunteering for a local board or committee
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Gaines: You can make a difference by volunteering for a local board or committee

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Realigning the main drag through Sterling left a couple parcels of land orphaned.  It wasn't necessarily that they looked worse than they did before -- one of them was a former trailer park where the only vestiges of its former life were bare concrete pads with socketless meter boxes poking up here and there.  The highway realignment didn't make them ugly, it made them uglier:  it left a bit of land whose shape wouldn't be too conducive to anything useful.  Yet another empty patch of dirt on my daily commute. Then, one day, I saw some landscaping happening.  It's since been finished and has really improved the look of what otherwise would've been some awkwardly-shaped frontage.  A city tax paid...
Ganahl: Say ‘NO’ to political flags in our classrooms!
Approved, Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: Say ‘NO’ to political flags in our classrooms!

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The Durango 9-R School Board is poised to take an alarming step that undermines the values of neutrality and inclusivity our schools should uphold. On Tuesday, the school board plans to vote on a resolution that would officially designate certain political symbols — like the Black Lives Matter and Progress Pride flags — as the district’s own speech. This sleight of hand allows them to avoid the protections of the 1st Amendment, shutting the door on diverse perspectives while granting preferential treatment to one viewpoint. Let’s be clear: this is government-sanctioned discrimination. By rebranding these flags as “compatible with educational goals,” the board is imposing a specific political ideology on our classrooms. This is wro...
Western Colorado ranchers bracing for impact of the next release of wolves
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Western Colorado ranchers bracing for impact of the next release of wolves

By Lindy Browning | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Sen. Perry Will told his constituents in a social media post “Brace yourselves, Garfield County,” after Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced that they will begin phase two of their wolf reintroduction program, adding insult to injury to western Colorado ranchers who have already seen the devastating impact on livestock on their northern neighbors. CPW will be trapping and importing the next 10 to 15 grey wolves from Canada and placing them somewhere in Garfield, Pitkin and Eagle County. Rio Blanco County was on the list of potential release sites, but has since been removed from that list due to the limited number of state-owned locations that would meet the criteria in the plan, in addition to the proximity to livestock...
Devotional: Embrace the strength of meekness in your bearing
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Devotional: Embrace the strength of meekness in your bearing

By Drake Hunter | Devotional, Rocky Mountain Voice What does it mean to have good bearing? It's more than just your posture or how you present yourself in a room — though, that matters. At its core, good bearing is about how you carry yourself through life, particularly in the face of challenges. It's about choosing your words wisely, enduring hardships gracefully and learning from the difficulties that come your way. These lessons, drawn from trials, help to shape us into healthier, wiser people. But, good bearing isn’t just for our benefit; it’s also about influencing others for the better through the example we set in our conversations, actions and relationships. Good bearing means carrying yourself with dignity, composure and confidence — especially in the Lord. It's about ...
Colorado GOP calls voters into action against Jena Griswold’s cover-up of password leak
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Colorado GOP calls voters into action against Jena Griswold’s cover-up of password leak

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice The Colorado Republican Party is attempting to rally residents of the state into action. Amid claims of compromised election security, party leaders are urging voters to demand accountability from officials through the filing of affidavits. They have accused Secretary of State Jena Griswold of overseeing serious election security flaws. The GOP, in their affidavit, called for action. They released expert testimonies, supporting documents and recordings of internal calls between Griswold's office and county clerks. The materials reveal growing frustration among election officials and cybersecurity experts. A controversy exists over exposure of more than 600 BIOS passwords for election systems in half of Colorado's 64 countie...
Second portrait of President-elect Trump will not be purchased for Colorado capitol
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Second portrait of President-elect Trump will not be purchased for Colorado capitol

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice A second portrait of Republican President-elect Donald J. Trump will not be purchased and displayed in the Colorado capitol building, Lois Court confirmed Friday in a meeting of the Capitol Building Advisory Committee. Each U.S. President is memorialized in the capitol's third floor Presidential Portrait Gallery. The portrait of Democratic President Joe Biden cost $11,000, Court was told, paid for in taxpayer funds. The portraits of other Presidents have been paid for through private donations. Only one other time in U.S. history has a president been elected to non-consecutive terms, as Trump has been. "Will we need to do it, again?," Court asked of purchasing a second painting depicting Trump as the 47th President. His portrait is display...
Colorado House Republicans celebrate election of Keltie, Woog in elimination of Dems’ supermajority
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Colorado House Republicans celebrate election of Keltie, Woog in elimination of Dems’ supermajority

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado House Republicans are celebrating the election of Rebecca Keltie and Dan Woog in their close District 16 and 19 races, which would erase Democrats' supermajority in the House. https://twitter.com/COHouseGOP/status/1857283274801877188 As of Friday morning, Keltie held a 7-vote lead over Democrat Steph Vigil in the District 16 race in El Paso County. Also, Woog has a 123-vote lead over Democrat Jillaire McMillan in the District 19 race in Boulder and Weld counties. The victories would give Republicans 22 seats in the 65-seat Colorado House of Representatives. “Colorado voters spoke loudly, supporting two common-sense leaders in Dan Woog and Rebecca Keltie,” House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese said in a statement, declaring both...
Boebert, Hurd commit to seamless transition in 3rd District U.S. House leadership
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Boebert, Hurd commit to seamless transition in 3rd District U.S. House leadership

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado Republicans have had some inner-party drama this year. But, teamwork is possible. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Hurd are proving it. In a joint press release, the two pledge a smooth transition of leadership for Colorado's 3rd U.S. House District. Boebert presently serves in the seat. Hurd will serve in the seat come January. They both express confidence in each other and their teams. “As legislators wrap up our work for the 118th Congress, it is critically important that the people of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District experience a smooth transition of representation as Congressman-elect Jeff Hurd begins his term in January,” says Boebert. The congresswoman highlights ongoing collaboration, not...