Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: House District 59

When Conditions Change, Should Wildlife Management Change Too?
Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

When Conditions Change, Should Wildlife Management Change Too?

By Naomi Riess | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice We have all heard the saying: A fed bear is a dead bear. This year, Colorado is seeing what happens when nature runs short of food. In Southwest Colorado, drought and a late-spring freeze have severely reduced natural bear foods. Statewide, CPW has reported 8,672 bear-related sightings and incidents through August, 3.6 times the five-year average. Relocations are running 3.5 times the average and euthanizations 2.7 times the average. A Durango bear was recently euthanized after being found in poor condition. A necropsy found its stomach and upper intestine completely blocked with trash. The bear was essentially starving to death. We need to keep people from attracting bears. CPW worked with our local representative and...
Riess: Give rural patients more choices, rural providers more flexibility
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Riess: Give rural patients more choices, rural providers more flexibility

By Naomi Riess | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Healthcare access in rural Colorado is not an abstract policy debate. It is about whether a family can find a primary-care provider, an expectant mother can receive care close to home, or a patient ends up in an emergency room because there was no timely alternative. In Southwest Colorado, we know the problem: too few providers, long waits, financial pressure on clinics and hospitals, and a system too often designed around the Front Range. In 2027, I would pursue a practical, bipartisan Rural Colorado Primary Care Access Act built around four principles: access, provider capacity, sustainability and flexibility. My proposal would build on ideas in HB26-1096, Colorado Medicaid Access to Primary Care Services, considered by th...
Why J. Paul Brown Supports Naomi Riess for House District 59
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Why J. Paul Brown Supports Naomi Riess for House District 59

By J. Paul Brown | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As a lifelong farmer and rancher in Southwest Colorado and someone who has proudly served as the representative for House District 59, I know the importance of strong, principled leadership for our communities. We are in dire need of someone who has always stood by agriculture and our rural way of life.  I have known Naomi Riess for many years, and I can say with confidence that she is exactly the kind of leader we need. I personally witnessed her dedication when she helped the La Plata County Farm Bureau resolve challenges that some of our members were facing with the State Land Board regarding state land leases. Her knowledge, persistence and genuine care for the people she serves made a real difference. ...